Trader killed in Muñoz road mishap

A 38-year-old businessman was killed after his van crashed into a tree and a concrete electric post early yesterday morning along EDSA, near the Muñoz district in Quezon City.

Victim Rodrigo Agoipo, who reportedly owned an appliance store and was a resident of 67 Road 1, Barangay Pag-asa, suffered fatal head and body injuries and died on the spot.

Reports said that Agoipo was alone in his Toyota Lite Ace (XED-498) at about 12:45 a.m. when he smashed into the tree and electric post. Investigators are still trying to determine if the victim have traces of alcohol in his blood.

Traffic Officer Reynaldo Panoy said Agoipo’s van was cruising along the southbound lane of EDSA and was approaching Roosevelt Avenue when the vehicle suddenly swerved into the opposite side of the street.

The victim then lost control of the wheel and crashed into an Ipil-Ipil tree. Police said that the impact was so strong that the vehicle was thrown back and slammed into a concrete electric post nearby.

Investigators said that the van was totally wrecked. It took several rescue workers to get Agoipo out of the vehicle.

"We are still conducting a follow-up investigation of the accident. There was no second vehicle involved. He could have been drunk or the van simply lost its brakes. We still do not know the real cause yet," Panoy said. – Matthew Estabillo