Two motorcycle riders killed, two others wounded in road mishaps

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A man and a woman were killed, while two others were wounded in separate road accidents here and in Negros Occidental last Monday.

In Calatrava town, 27-year-old Mary Ann Dantes of Barangay Marcelo died while her relative Jay-ar Barrientos, 27, was wounded after their motorcycle overshot a curved part of the road at Sitio Peñahon, Barangay Mina-utok.

Major Ronald Santillan, town police chief, said that Barrientos reportedly lost control of his motorcycle.

The victims also hit a tree that caused injuries to their heads and bodies, according to Santillan. Dantes was declared dead in a hospital.

In Bacolod, Joemarie Aparicio, 40, of Barangay Mansilingan here, died after he collided with a taxi in Barangay Alijis.

Police Captain Andy Ofalia, head of Police Station 7, said that Aparicio reportedly lost control of his driven motorcycle when he attempted to overtake another motorcycle.

He crossed to the opposite lane and crashed into a taxi, Ofalia said, citing a closed circuit television (CCTV) camera footage.

Ofalia said the victim was declared dead in a hospital. The victim’s family and the 57-year-old taxi driver have reached a settlement, he added.

Meanwhile, Benjie Varona, 44, of Murcia town was wounded after his motorcycle collided with a tricycle at Mansilingan- Murcia road in Barangay Mansilingan here last Tuesday.

Ofalia said that Varona was drunk when the accident happened.

But police recovered from him a .9mm caliber pistol with nine live ammunition tucked in his waist when rescuers transferred him to a stretcher.

Ofalia said the recovered firearm has no pertinent documents or license, based on the statement of Varona.

He, however, did not tell the police the reason why he has a loose firearm, the station commander added.

Ofalia said that Varona will be charged for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, aside from his involvement in the road accident.