Naga clerk of court dies in road mishap

The dreaded 'highway of death" in the southern town of Naga took another life yesterday when a mini van collided head on with a truck loaded with vegetables.

The fatality was identified as Teodisio Rizon Jr., 51, married, of sitio Taptoy, barangay Tuyan, Naga. He was driving the mini van on his way to his office at the Municipal Circuit Trial Court in Naga where he was the clerk of court to attend their Christmas party.

Seven passengers of truck that was on its way to the city were also injured in the accident after they fell off the vehicle due to the impact.

The accident happened in barangay Colon at around 9 am. The police said that Rizon was on his way back to his office when the accident happened. He reportedly went home to get something.

It was learned from the initial investigation that Rizon was trying to overtake other vehicles when he ran right smack into the lane of the truck.

Virgilio Nepomuceno of barangay Saksak, Dalaguete, who was the driver of the truck, said that he tried to apply the brakes, but could not immediately get the vehicle to stop due to its heavy cargo.

The vegetables came from the town of Dalaguete, which is regarded as the vegetable basket of the province.

The impact of the collission pinned Rizon in the cab of his small vehicle and it took a while for rescuers from the Naga Emergency Action Team (NEAT) to pull him out of the wreck.

He was immediately rushed to the nearby South General Hospital, but was declared dead on arrival.

The seven people on board the truck who were also rushed to the same hospital were identified as Diosdada Bornia, 43, of barangay Ablayan, Dalaguete; Maria Calvo, 43, of sitio Tabon, barangay Mantalongon; Policarpa Batoctoy, 38; Antonio Jabagat, 77, Tranquilina Moran, 42, Rosario Hesin, 66, all of barangay Mantalongon, Dalaguete; and Ace Vergel Laksi, 23, of barangay Poblacion, Dalaguete town.

They just sustained minor injuries and have all been released from the hospital after treatment.

Nepomuceno surrendered to the police and is now detained at the Naga Police Station. He was immediately charged for reckless imprudence leading to homicide and multiple injuries.

Residents of the area where the accident happened call the place as the "highway of death" as many people have lost their lives in this stretch of the highway.