MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews/02 January) — The New Year’s celebration here was marred by two vehicular accidents on December 31 and January 1 that left 14 persons, including a four-year old boy, injured.
Traffic investigator Noel Jaroy told MindaNews Sunday that on December 31, a KIA drop side vehicle used as a fish car bumped the rear of a multi-cab passenger vehicle, seriously injuring 11 passengers, including a four year old boy.
Both vehicles were approaching Malaybalay City from Cagayan de Oro City’s direction.
The report filed by Jaroy’s partner, Darius Linaac, said the passenger vehicle pulled over to drop some passengers along the national highway in Pal-ing, Brgy. Pat-pat, Malaybalay City when it was hit by the tailing fish car.
Rolino Bautista, driver of the KIA fish car from Agusan del Sur, said he saw the multi-cab pull over, so he quickly swerved but he alleged in the report that a vehicle was also approaching them from the opposite direction.
Jaroy said based on the initial investigation Bautista was at fault for staying too close behind the multi-cab.
Six of those injured were women passengers from Impasug-ong, Bukidnon.
On New Year’s Day, a portion of Fortich Street, the city’s main street, along Bukidnon State University was spilled with blood when a motorcycle with two riders hit the rear of a Toyota pick up.
The driver of the motorcycle and his two passengers were all injured and are still being treated at a local hospital.
No one was killed in the two accidents but Jaroy said motorists can learn two lessons from the accidents; to keep the required distance of six meters between vehicles along the highway and for passenger vehicles to park properly to allow passengers to disembark.
SPO2 Rodrigo Seno, officer of the day at the Malaybalay City Police Office told MindaNews Sunday that vehicular accidents, not casualties from firecrackers marred the New Year’s revelry.
He said as of January 2, they received no report of firecracker and pyrotechnics-related incidents in the city.
“This is a good sign,” he said.
It was a rainy countdown to the New Year but esidents managed to light firecrackers when the rain slowed down an hour before 2010 crossed over to 2011. (Walter I. Balane/MindaNews)
