Woman dead, mother hurt as motorcycle crashes into felled tree in Romblon

LUCENA CITY, Quezon, Philippines — A woman died and her mother suffered injuries in a road accident in San Andres town in Romblon early Tuesday when the motorcycle they were riding crashed into a coconut tree that had fallen on the road. In an email report, Eugene Cabrera, regional director of the Office of the Civil Defense-Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) region, identified the fatality as Virgielyn G. Montilla, 32. Quoting a report from the San Andres police, Cabrera said Montilla and her mother, Jean R. Gacu, 54, were traveling aboard a motorcycle driven by Montilla in Barangay Agpudlos at around 5:30 a.m., Tuesday, when their vehicle ran straight into an an uprooted coconut tree. Montilla suffered severe head and body injuries that led to her death while her mother sustained head injuries and was rushed to the Romblon Provincial Hospital in Odiongan town, Cabrera said. Cabrera said his office was still determining if the accident was related to typhoon Nona. The report did not mention if the riders were wearing crash helmets.  SFM