Two friends killed in Cauayan tricycle crash

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — Two friends who came from a birthday party were killed after an allegedly speeding sedan crashed into their tricycle in Purok 2, Barangay Tuyom, Cauayan, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday.

Police said the sedan was driven by Bert, 33, the son of an incumbent village councilor.

Police identified the tricycle driver as Dolfo, 40, and his passenger as Jr, 59, both residents of Barangay Tuyom.

Police Lt. Col. Norberto Barniso, chief of the Cauayan Municipal Police Station, said the victims were on their way home when the car driven by Bert hit the rear of the tricycle it had been tailing, throwing the victims to the ground.

The crash was captured by a closed-circuit television camera, and the footage later circulated online.

Barniso said the driver claimed he failed to see the tricycle because of the windshield’s dark tint.

Barniso said the driver had borrowed the vehicle to go somewhere late that night.

The two victims were declared dead at a hospital, while the car driver was unharmed.

Barniso said the victims’ families will pursue a criminal complaint for reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and damage to property against the driver, who had no driver’s license at the time of the crash.

He said the complaint will undergo regular filing because the 18-hour reglementary period for inquest proceedings had lapsed.

Regular filing means the complaint will be evaluated by prosecutors outside immediate inquest proceedings.

Meanwhile, a motorcycle rider died, and another was seriously injured after they figured in a collision in Barangay Tortosa, Manapla, on the same night.

Police investigation showed that one rider failed to notice the other rider, who attempted to cross the opposite lane toward a gasoline station.