Road accident kills pregnant woman

CEBU, Philippines - A pregnant woman died while three others were injured in a vehicular accident involving a motorcycle and a mini-van on the national highway in Barangay Bahay, Sibonga town, Sunday evening.

Glenmar Laude, 25, of Barangay Candaguit and her unborn baby were declared dead on arrival by the attending physician at the Deiparine Medical Clinic after Laude suffered severe injuries in different parts of her body.

Injured was Laude’s daughter, Erika Lyn Arnaiz, four; Arnel Sordilla Sonsona, 23, the driver of motorcycle, a resident of Barangay Poblacion; and Helen Rosales, 39, of Dalaguete town.

They were rushed to the same clinic before they were referred to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City for further treatment.

Investigation revealed that Laude and Arnaiz were on board the Yamaha Crypton motorcycle driven by Sonsona bound for Barangay Poblacion while a Suzuki mini-van with license plate numbers JEE-554 driven by PO2 Jephthah Bolongaita Jumawan, 37, of Batinguel, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, and assigned at the Regional Training School-7, was also heading to Cebu City during the incident.

On board the mini-van were Rosales; Jessa Mae Milar, 23; Ermie Aparici, 15; Ernamie Milar, 19; Ruel Euge Rosales, nine; and Anselmo Caingles, 22; all of Dalaguete town.

SPO3 Marlon Cortes, of the Sibonga Police Station, said Sonsona was moving to an intersection when Jumawan hit them.

Due to the strong impact, the victims on board the motorcycle were thrown to the pavement and injured.

Jumawan voluntarily surrendered to the police right after the incident.

He is now detained at the Sibonga police stockade pending the filing of charges for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and multiple physical injuries.

A separate case will also be filed against Sonsona for driving without a license.  —/BRP (FREEMAN)