Student in ICU after car plows into pedestrians; injured now at 18

LUCENA CITY – A student, one of the pedestrians injured after a car plowed through pedestrians Saturday in Lucban town in Quezon province, was brought to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in a hospital due to serious injuries, police said.

Police also said the number of injured pedestrians who were hit by the car driven by Roger Peñaflor had gone up to 18.

The vehicle, which was registered to one Ariston Nada, was leaving the parking area in Saint Louis the Bishop church compound after serving as a rented bridal car when it malfunctioned and accelerated, said Police Officer 2 Marvin Montes, case investigator. It traveled 300 meters, plowed into the victims walking along San Luis street and hit and damaged several parked vehicles.

READ: 16 persons hurt as car plows into pedestrians in Quezon

Jessica Flores, 16, a student waiting for her schoolmates outside the church, sustained serious head injuries and was confined in the ICU of Mount Carmel Hospital in Lucena City, said Gloria Flores, the victim’s grandmother.

Other victims were identified as Rey Mark Reyes, 12; Novalyn Keith de Asis, 19; Christina de Asis, 45; Romano Ibardelosa, 49; Rey Reyes, 35; Vickson Briagas, 32; Robin Reyes, 23; Mark Apuada, 21; Marion Joyce Villaverde, 18; Romeo Elpa, 59; Rico Ortañes, 57; Oliver Amador, 34; Jose Joel Obat, 48; Ernald Gahuman, 29; Ildefonzo Absulio, 54; Eubert Lucmong, 21; and Merlo Cerbantes, 27.

A one-minute video clip from a close circuit television (CCTV) that showed the accident was going viral on Facebook with 1.1 million views and more than 6,000 shares as of Sunday after it was posted by one John Patrick Rañeses a few hours after the accident.

Chief Insp. Alejandro Onquit, Lucban police chief, refuted  reports spreading on Facebook that there had been casualties.

Police said Peñaflor claimed that he applied foot and hand brakes but still failed to control and stop the vehicle due to rapid acceleration.

The victims were brought to a local hospital in Lucban for treatment but those who sustained serious injuries were transferred to two hospitals in Lucena City.

The suspect is detained at Lucban police jail. Police are conducting further investigation. JE/rga