Tricycle driver killed, 5 others hurt in road mishap

BALANGA CITY, Philippines  – An overloaded tricycle was sideswept by a liquefied petroleum gas tanker which resulted to the death of the driver and seriously injured five passengers early dawn yesterday in front of the National Food Authority warehouse along Roman Superhighway in Barangay Camacho here.

Senior Superintendent Arnold Gunnacao, Bataan police director, identified the fatality as Villamor Udugan of the coastal village of Lusungan, Orion town, Bataan who reportedly died while being treated at the Bataan General Hospital.

Seriously injured were Marvin Torsuela, 26; Edwin Miranda, 38; Bryan Bendivil, 21; Marlon Rivero, 25; and Jeric Udungan, 12, all residents of Barangay Lusungan, Orion town. Those injured are still confined at the BGH with fractures in their lower extremities.

Gunnacao told The STAR that the tricycle (9989) driven by Udugan was crossing the Roman Superhighway at about 1:20 a.m. yesterday when a speeding gasoline tanker (TJW-739) driven by one Leonardo Ogania of Paco, Manila on the way to Metro Manila hit the old-dilapidated tricycle.

Ogania failed to stop despite the incident. Balanga City police radioed the law-enforcement units based in San Fernando City, Pampanga about an LPG tanker reportedly owned by Metrolink Gas Inc. involved in the hit and run road accident.

The tanker driver was arrested in a checkpoint placed by the police near San Fernando City common terminal at about 3 a.m, about two hours after the incident.

A case of reckless imprudence resulting to homicide, multiple physical injuries and damage to property will be filed before the city prosecutors’ office here.