Joyce Jimenez hurt in mishap

Actress Joyce Jimenez suffered minor injuries while her personal driver was unhurt after a vehicular accident in Pangasinan yesterday morning.

Jimenez, who was reportedly left unconscious shortly after the accident that took place at around 3 a.m. in Barangay Anonas, Urdaneta, Pangasinan, was declared in stable condition by Dr. Rommel Menguito of Medical City in Pasig City.

City police chief Superintendent Rodolfo Castil Jr. said Joyce Herrin, 29, popularly known in local showbiz as Joyce Jimenez, and her three companions, Cathleen Transporte, 37, Diosdado Espiritu Jr., 38 and their driver Sandy Juno, 47, were rushed to the Sacred Heart Hospital here due to injuries they sustained but were transferred to Medical City, shortly afterwards.

In an interview with The STAR, Menguito said Jimenez suffered minor cuts on her forehead and swollen knee apparently because of the impact of the smash up.

“Yung X-rays niya are all normal at ang examination sa abdomen normal. At present, ang gagamutin lang lacerations sa forehead. There will be suturing of laceration by plastic surgeon Dr. Conrado de Gracia and most probabaly bukas pwede na siyang umuwi,” Menguito told The STAR.

The doctor said Jimenez and her driver were apparently wearing seatbelts and the airbags functioned just in time, thus minimizing the impact of the accident on the victims.

Initial investigation showed that Jimenez and her driver on board a Toyota 4runner (WBJ-101) were on their way to Manila when the accident took place.

Police gathered that the driver tried to avoid an oncoming passenger bus, which was already occupying the opposite lane by maneuvering the steering wheel to the right.

Due to the speed, police said Jimenez’s driver apparently lost control of the vehicle, which landed on the ricefield, which was about 1.8 meters lower than the road.

The incident was reported to the police by concerned citizens.

Jimenez’s uncle Waldo Mandai, who is also a doctor, rushed to the Medical City upon learning from the news about the accident and that Jimenez was unconscious.

“I’m here for a medical conference when I heard about the accident so I immediately rushed here (Medical City) and when I saw her, she cried. But she is in stable condition already,” Mandai told The STAR. He is practicing in Tawi-Tawi. – With Eva Visperas and Cesar Ramirez