Cabbie dead after car rear-ends taxi

CEBU, Philippines - A taxi driver was killed yesterday dawn after he was pinned inside his own vehicle in Barangay Banilad, Cebu City.

Dindo Ornopia, 44, was killed after he sustained severe head and upper body injuries after a Mitsubishi Eclipse sports car crashed into the rear of his parked taxicab with license plate numbers GXG-283.

Traffic investigator PO2 Welfredo Caperida said Ornopia’s vehicle was parked along Gov. Mariano Cuenco Ave. just in front the Banilad Trade Center when the accident happened at around 4:10 a.m.

Tara Kale Agre, 27, of A. S Fortuna Street, Mandaue City, and a French national who is reportedly a minor, were the passengers of the car when it crashed into the taxi, Caperida said.

It was not clear, however, who drove the vehicle after both passengers denied being behind the wheel at the time.

The car was on its way to A. S Fortuna Street from the Mango Ave. area. 

“We are still confirming reports as to who was the driver of the sports car after both passengers denied driving the vehicle,” Caperida said in Cebuano. 

Witnesses, however, alleged that Agre was driving when it crashed into the victim’s taxi.

Agre was brought to Cebu City Medical Center where she confirmed to be intoxicated.

Both passengers of the car only sustained minor bruises after their airbags successfully inflated.

Caperida said Ornopia was sleeping in his taxi at the time and reclined the driver’s seat.

“Based on the extent of damage from both vehicles, the sports car was traveling fast when it crashed into the taxicab,” Caperida said.  

It took rescuers a few minutes to extract Ornopia from the twisted metal wreck, he was rushed to Chong Hua Hospital where he was declared already dead.

Caperida said relatives of the victim are willing to settle with those responsible for the accident if they will shoulder the victim’s burial expenses.

But if the relatives change their mind those responsible will face charges for reckless imprudence resulting to damage to property and homicide.

The Corominas Taxi Corp. promised to give financial support to the family of the victim.

Meanwhile, three women were killed in separate vehicular accidents in the towns of Borbon and Dalaguete last Monday.

In Barangay Kadaohan, Borbon, a 60-year-old woman died in the hospital due to severe injuries in different parts of her body after she was hit by a speeding motorcycle.

Sarah Judilla was allegedly walking along the road about 5:30 p.m. when the motorcycle driven by Guill Inoc, 28, of Barangay Tayud, Consolacion town, hit her.

PO3 Rey Suson of the Borbon Police Station said Inoc was on board his Yamaha Crypton motorcycle with license plate numbers KT-3644 traveling from Bogo City and heading towards Consolacion at the time.

Also on board of the said motorcycle was Inoc’s wife, Marites and their four-year-old daughter.

Suson said Judilla suddenly crossed the road without checking traffic and failed to notice the fast-approaching motorcycle.

Inoc tried to swerve right but still hit the victim who was thrown a few meters away.

Those on the motorcycle fell off and only sustained minor injuries.

Judilla was rushed to the Juan Dosado Hospital in Sogod and later referred to a hospital in Cebu City. Later, her family informed the police the victim had died.

Inoc was detained and a case for reckless imprudence resulting to homicide was filed against him yesterday at the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.

In Dalaguete town, Rosalisa Diolan, 47, of Barangay Panyas was killed on the spot while Cecilia Lisondra, 49, was declared dead upon arrival at the Ildefonso Alcantara Hospital.

Both women died after they were hit and dragged by an Isuzu D’Max which was trying to avoid an approaching vehicle yesterday afternoon on the National Highway of Sitio Balatik, Barangay Cawayan, Dalaguete.

SPO1 Veronico Centino, of the Dalaguete Police Station, said the Isuzu D’Max with license plate numbers YGC-530 was driven by Ariel Abonawan, 36, of Barangay Tayud, Liloan town.

Centino said Abonawan was traveling towards Cebu City and tried to overtake a motorcycle at a blind curve failing to notice in time a Fuso Canter coming from the opposite direction.

Abonawan tried to apply brakes but lost control of the vehicle and it swerved into the store where the victims were sitting.

Due to the strong impact both victims were pinned between the Isuzu D’Max and another motorcycle causing severe injuries.

Abonawan is now temporarily detained at the Dalaguete police stockade pending criminal charges. –Ryan Christopher J. Sorote and Ria Mae Y. Booc/BRP (THE FREEMAN)