1 dead, 2 hurt in Navotas road mishap

MANILA, Philippines - An Indian man was killed when a passenger jeepney hit the motorcycle he was driving head-on in Navotas City Wednesday night.

Joey Perez of the Navotas City Traffic and Parking Management Office (TPMO) said John Espiritu, driver of passenger jeepney (PVV-440), escaped after his vehicle hit the motorcycle ridden by Ajit Kumar, 51, and his seven-year-old son Ajay.

Perez said at around 9:40 p.m., Espiritu was driving north along Honorio Lopez Avenue in Barangay North Bay Boulevard South when he hit the victims’ motorcycle head-on as he tried to overtake another jeepney ahead of him.

Ajit and his son were thrown from their motorcycle. Police Officer 1 Luis Hizon, 25, who was on his motorcycle behind the victims, sustained injuries when he fell on the road as he tried to avoid them.

Espiritu sped off toward Malabon City after the incident and abandoned his jeepney, Perez said. The Navotas TPMO impounded the vehicle.

“None of the jeepney passengers were injured, but Kumar died on the way to the Tondo Medical Center due to his injuries while his son remains under observation in the same hospital. The cop sustained only minor injuries,” Perez told The STAR yesterday.

A team from the Navotas City police traffic unit, led by Senior Police Officer 1 Cezario Naturaliza, is tracking down Espiritu.