1 dead, 1 injured in road accident

CEBU, Philippines – Instead of warning pedestrians, a driver’s blowing of his vehicle’s horn proved fatal to a Korean couple who hastily moved back to the sidewalk at the sound of the horn, only to be hit by an approaching bus.

Donggeun Kang, 22, and his girlfriend Hyegin Lee, 22, were crossing Cebu South Road in Barangay Bulacao, Talisay City on Monday evening before the incident happened.

Witnesses said they saw Kang’s arm placed around Lee’s shoulder while the two were attempting to cross the road.

The two did not reportedly notice the south-bound Ceres bus driven by 50-year-old Joventino Suerte, Police Officer 2 Aquiles Cabando of Talisay City Traffic Division told The FREEMAN.

Suerte honked to warn the victims but the sound only rattled the Koreans. The foreigners tried to swiftly step back to the sidewalk but it proved late for them as they got hit by the right front side of the bus.

Police believed that the accident could have been prevented if only Suerte decided not to press his horn.

"Kung wa na lang unta niya gisirbatuhan ang mga biktima, dili unta kini madasmagan. Pagsirbato man gud, naigking ang duha tungod sa kakusog sa sirbato, unya nakaatras ang duha mao na nga naigo gyud hinuon sa windshield," Cabando said.

Because of the impact, Kang and Lee got hurled to the road.

Kang, who sustained severe head injuries, was already dead when he was rushed to a private hospital in Cebu City. Lee, on the other hand, was injured but is now recuperating in the hospital.

Based on police investigation, the victims were temporarily living at an English language center in Barangay Bulacao, Talisay City.

Suerte, a resident of Barangay Tulay, Minglanilla town, is now detained at the Talisay City Police Station while waiting for appropriate charges to be filed against him. He voluntarily turned himself in to authorities. (FREEMAN)