‘Shock, fear’ drove Indian in fatal car crash to flee

By Jennifer P. Rendon 

Shock and fear forced an Indian national who figured in a fatal vehicular crash to flee from the scene.

This was the gist of Harjinder Gill’s reply to the Land Transportation Office 6 (LTO)’s show cause order.

Riza Otayde, LTO-6 information officer, said they received Gill’s answer on June 2, 2020.

“Basically, his answer revolved on the claims that he was shocked and got frightened when he saw persons rushing to the scene,” Otayde said quoting Gill’s letter.

LTO-6 suspended Gill’s driver’s license for three months after the May 24 incident that killed a health worker.

Gill was also asked to present a satisfactory answer to why his driver’s license should not be permanently revoked.

“But he did not appeal that the suspension of his driver’s license be lifted,” Otayde said.

Gill said he will abide by the agency’s decision.

Gill was the driver of a Toyota Altis sedan that hit motorcycle rider Henry Jim Jardio in Mandurriao, Iloilo City.

Jardio, 30, a radiology technologist at Amosup Seamen’s Hospital Iloilo, and resident of Barangay Bolilao, Mandurriao district, was supposed to marry his fiancé on June 13, his birthday.

The victim was navigating a turnaround at Pison Avenue in Barangay San Rafael when a Toyota Altis sedan driven by Gill hit his motorcycle.

After the incident, the suspect sped away with security personnel of Atria District running after him.

Gill drove to Barangay Tabucan where he again hit another motorcycle as he was driving up the approach of the Carpenter’s Bridge towards Molo district.

The motorcycle was driven by Bonn Seann Sanz of San Jose, Molo; John Chasmer Tupas of Barotac Viejo, Iloilo; and Jane Ricaforte of Kalibo, Aklan. All three survived the crash.

Gill was released from detention two days later after posting bail.

He reportedly posted P72,000 on the case involving Jardio for “reckless imprudence resulting in homicide with failure to lend a hand on the spot to the victim.”

He also posted a P90,000 bail for “reckless imprudence resulting in multiple physical injury and damage to property” on his three other victims.