Motorcycle rider dies after crashing into carabao in Pangasinan

DAGUPAN CITY—A motorcycle rider was killed on Tuesday night (Nov.28) after crashing into a carabao and then smashing into a passing tricycle along the national highway at Dasol town in Pangasinan province, police said on Wednesday (Nov. 29).

Melvin Balonzo, 19, died due to serious head injury caused by the accident. He expired while undergoing treatment at the Dasol Community Hospital.

Police said Balonzo was driving his motorcycle on the northbound lane of the Olongapo-Bugallon Road in Barangay (village) Hermosa at about 6 p.m. when he hit the animal.

After hitting the carabao, Balonzo lost control of his motorcycle that eventually encroached the southbound lane of the road and collided with another approaching motorcycle.

The driver of the other motorcycle, Jay Arr Mercullo, 37, was injured and is now being treated at a hospital.

The carabao ran away unscathed.

This is the second road mishap since September that involved a carabao in Pangasinan.

On Sept. 13, a two-year-old girl was killed while her grandparents were injured when their tricycle struck a carabao in Bani town.

The crash tipped the tricycle over, pinning the girl and her grandmother. Police said the tricycle did not have head lights and the tricycle driver was navigating through the dark using a flashlight. /jpv