Helper crushed by truck

A truck helper, who tried to avoid being bitten by a stray dog, was accidentally crushed by an 18-wheeler trailer truck in Makati City the other night.

Police Officer 2 Orlando De Leon identified the victim as Cristobal Briones, a resident of 31-A Mercury street, Samaka Subdivision, Fairview, Quezon City. He was pronounced dead at the Makati Medical Center.

Briones was with Dionito de los Santos,33, the truck driver, and resident of Block 12 Lot 24, Tanguigue street, Caloocan City on board a trailer truck (UDM-367) with a reefer container.

Initial investigation showed at around 11 p.m., De los Santos and Briones arrived at a warehouse located along Binay street, near Faraday street in Barangay San Isidro, Makati City and were about to deliver chocolate products.

"Briones got out of the vehicle to guide the driver, who was backing up the truck, when he was confronted by a barking dog.

The truck helper panicked and tried to climb on board the truck near the gas tank between the connecting chassis and primer. However, Briones slipped and fell to the ground.

De los Santos later told the police that he did not see the victim and kept on going in reverse until he accidentally pinned Briones beneath one of the middle tires.

"The boy was still alive when he was brought to the hospital. The attending doctors said he expired at around 12:25 a.m," De Leon said.

He added that said it was still uncertain if they would file charges against De los Santos. "The victim’ s family earlier said they would not file charges, but we need to confirm this and require them to file an affidavit of desistance."

The truck owner, a certain Reynaldo Dumilod is a relative of De los Santos and has expressed willingness to provide financial support. – Evelyn Macairan