Truck kills 6, hurts 16 in Taytay mishap

TAYTAY, Rizal – At least six persons were killed while 16 others were injured when a 20-wheeler container truck rammed several roadside eateries and tricycles loaded with passengers yesterday morning near Tikling Junction here.

Mayor Joric Gacula said that six persons were reported to have died as of 2 p.m. Saturday.

The truck driver, John Paul Peston, was taken into police custody shortly after the incident.

Initial probe by Taytay Police showed that Peston around 9 a.m. lost control of the truck (TBP-967) while it was descending Cabrera Road towards Kaytikling Junction.

Probers believed that the truck driver could have thought of ramming the truck against a big acacia tree but his attempt proved futile as the truck did not stop until it hit two eateries and several tricycles that were parked on the side of Cabrera Road.

Some of the victims were either inside the parked tricycles or passersby who just came from a nearby wet market when the accident happened.

Barangay Dolores rescuer Grace Balaganas told the Manila Bulletin that they found most of the victims under the truck’s head while others were slumped on the road. She said they found two of the victims already dead at the site of the accident.

A two-year-old child was also among the injured victims found by rescuers. (Nel B. Andrade)