4 injured as drunk driver rams 4 vehicles

MANILA, Philippines - A motorist reportedly went on a drunk driving spree in San Juan City before dawn yesterday, hitting four vehicles and injuring four people, including three members of the pop group Mocha Girls.

In a police report, Senior Police Officer 1 Marcelo Marinas identified the motorist as Carlos Alfonso Jose Ampil, 26, a student and a resident of Oakville street in White Plains Subdivision, Quezon City.

In the minutes following the incident, however, he identified himself to members of media and traffic enforcers as Pancho Gonzales.

According to the police report, Ampil tested positive for alcohol when he was subjected to blood chemistry examination at the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center. The report did not mention Ampil’s blood alcohol level.

Ampil was later brought to the Philippine National Police crime laboratory in Camp Crame in Quezon City for further medical and physical examination.

Wrong way

The report stated that Ampil was seen parking his vehicle at the basement of the Theater Mall at the Promenade complex Friday. At around 2:45 a.m. yesterday, Ampil boarded his vehicle – a Toyota Innova with plate number ZND-711 – and sped through the entrance of the basement instead of the designated exit, destroying signs in his path.

Witnesses said Ampil’s vehicle reportedly hit one of the guards, who was patrolling the area on a motorcycle. The guard was brought to a hospital.

The mall’s security guards chased after Ampil, who sped off toward Annapolis street going to EDSA, where he reportedly hit a passenger bus (UVN-879) and a Kia Rio (WVD-886).

The police report did not mention that Mocha Girl members Mae dela Cerna, Jho Ann Sotelo and Sabrina Turner, who were in the Kia Rio, suffered bruises and scratches in the collision and were brought to the Cardinal Santos Medical Center.

Ampil was arrested by SPO1 Alex Alapit and Police Officer 1 Marjoe Veloria, both assigned at the Police Community Precinct 1 in San Juan. He faces maliscious mischief and physical injuries charges.

Dela Cerna, in an interview aired over dzMM, said they came from a show in Timog and were on their way home when the right side of their car was hit by an AC Trans bus at the corner of EDSA and Annapolis street at past 2 a.m.

The Mocha Girls were with their manager and driver Lord Byron Cristobal when the accident occurred.

According to the dzMM report, the bus – driven by Sonny Samson – was negotiating the corner of EDSA and Annapolis when it was hit by a speeding Toyota Innova. The radio report identified the Innova’s driver as Gonzales.

The bus then hit the Kia Rio occupied by the Mocha Girls, dzMM reported.