Student hit by truck dies in Manila; driver held

A 16-year-old student died after being sideswiped by a trailer truck on San Marcelino Street in Paco, Manila, on Saturday morning.

The victim was identified as Justinne Mariflor Sarmiento, a Grade 11 student at Adamson University also in Manila.

Around 10:30 a.m., Sarmiento and 10 of her schoolmates were crossing the street on their way to Paco Park to rehearse a class performance when a 14-wheel trailer truck driven by Rene Gerbert Perez hit the victim.

The student sustained serious head injuries while her body got wedged between the rear wheels of the truck, according to Insp. Christopher Andrade, head of the special reaction unit of the Bureau of Fire Protection-Manila which responded to incident.

Sarmiento was still alive when pulled out but was pronounced dead around noon at Manila Medical Center.

The Manila police arrested Perez, 33, who faces charges for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide. —Krixia Subingsubing