Dump truck pins woman to death

CEBU, Philippines - A 30-year-old woman died after an Isuzu dump truck accidentally rammed into the store she was tending and that the concrete wall eventually crumbled, fell on her, and pinned her to the ground past 9 a.m. yesterday in barangay Lobo, municipality of Sogod, in northern Cebu.

Janice Bancali, a native of Lapu-Lapu City, was rushed by her neighbors to the Juan Dosado Memorial Hospital in barangay Damolog but she was pronounced there dead on arrival.

The brakes of the dump truck, with plate numbers GFV-479, and driven by 35-year-old Rene Rosales, allegedly suddenly malfunctioned and it eventually rammed into two stores along the road.

Investigation showed that Rosales was on his way to Tuburan where the truck’s owner resides. The dump truck is reportedly owned by Sogod municipal engineer Rodney Menchavez.

But, according to Rosales, the brakes of the truck suddenly malfunctioned along the way. He said he consequently lost control of the vehicle which then rammed into two stores owned by one Elbert Brigoli and his sister Lizel Brigoli.

Bancali is said to be the live-in partner of Lizel. She was tending the store owned by Lizel when the vehicle rammed onto the cemented wall of the store and, because of the impact, knocked it down pinning her to death.

Rosales, on the other hand, voluntarily surrendered to the Sogod Police. He is now temporarily detained while police are preparing charges for reckless imprudence resulting to homicide and damage to property against him. — Niña G. Sumacot/MEEV   (FREEMAN NEWS)