DAGUPAN CITY — A 22-year-old woman from Benguet province died while 13 others were injured on early Saturday morning (April 21) when a passenger van crashed into a steel railing of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEx) in Rosales town in Pangasinan province, police said.
Shilany Aten-an, a resident of Buguias town, died on the way to a hospital where she and other passengers were taken by rescuers, according to Chief Insp. John Corpuz, Rosales police chief. Among the wounded passengers was 6-year-old Kaiser Mangupang.
The Baguio City-bound van, carrying 14 passengers, left Mabalacat town in Pampanga province at about 11 p.m. on Friday (April 20).
As the van sped through TPLEx along Barangay (village) San Bartolome, its left rear tire burst, causing it to veer to the right, striking a steel railing before it toppled on its right side at 12:30 a.m. on Saturday.
The crash injured Mangupang, Jeremy de Jesus, 34; Joanna Jose, 26; Lilian Ganado, 37; Gay Pascual, 21; Jouie May Quintela, 22; Richelle Franza, 30; Morris Mangupang, 30; Sarah Delos Reyes, 23; Kristina Mangupang Medina, 30; Lester Tiongson Bacani, 18; Jerry Lachaong and Wilson Guevara, 38.
Corpuz said a case for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and multiple injuries is being prepared against the van driver, Luisito Mora, 44.