Truck driver arrested for broadcaster’s death

The driver of the prime mover that killed radio broadcaster Eliseo “Ely” Carungay last year was arrested by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-7 yesterday morning.

Carry Jayson, 44, was working om his truck along T. Padilla Street, barangay Tejero, when elements of the CIDG-7 arrived to serve a  warrant of arrest issued by MTCC Branch 6 judge Francisco Seville Jr. for reckless imprudence resulting to homicide.  His bail was set at P10,000.

Jayson told reporters that he does not know that he was charged for the accident that killed Carungay because he was not around when the incident took place.

Jayson said that last May 10 in the evening he and his truckboy were passing the South Road Properties on their way to the port area from the south to deliver 1,000 sacks of rice when the truck’s engine suddenly died.

He could not repair it and went off to call a mechanic in Mandaue City to help him.

He claimed they placed an early warning device some six meters from the rear of his truck to warn other motorists. 

When he came back, he was surprised to see many policemen and traffic enforcers gathered around the vehicle and learned that somebody had hit the rear of his truck.

Carungay was coming from Talisay City with his live-in partner and driving fast to Cebu City past 8 p.m. for his 9:30 p.m. radio program Birada Evening Edition in RMN-dyHP when his motorcycle crashed into the rear of the truck that was parked by the side of the road near a bridge.

Investigators said it was not bright enough for motorists to spot the warning device in a dark road.

Carungay suffered severe head and abdominal injuries and was rushed to the Chong Hua Hospital where he died dawn the following day.  His live-in partner only suffered minor injuries.  — Edwin Ian Melecio/BRP