1 dead, 17 hurt in 10-vehicle smashup

MANILA, Philippines — One person was killed and 17 others were injured in an accident involving 10 vehicles in Quezon City on Friday.

The accident happened at around 9:25 p.m. along the northbound lane of Commonwealth Avenue in Barangay Old Balara, said Chief Superintendent Guillermo Eleazar, Quezon City Police District director.

The fatality is Dominador Pedralve, who was on board a passenger jeepney. Doctors at Quezon City General Hospital tried to revive him but he died at around 2:21 a.m. yesterday from severe head and body injuries.

Quoting a police report, Eleazar said the mishap occurred when a Fermina Express bus hit a Toyota Fortuner.

The bus driver was reportedly speeding prior to the incident and lost control of the steering wheel.

Eight other vehicles were hit during the mishap: two passenger jeepneys, one Toyota Innova, a Toyota Vios, a Mitsubishi Adventure, an Isuzu Crosswind, a motorcycle and a Renan Transit bus.

Seventeen people, including 11 persons on board the two jeepneys, two pedestrians who were waiting for a ride home  and a street vendor were injured.

Nine of the victims are females while the  rest are males.

The driver of the Fermina Express bus, Miel Cervantes, surrendered to the police. He is facing charges of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, multiple physical injuries and damage to property.