Car kills four in no-vehicle zone

Car kills four in no-vehicle zone

Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A speeding Honda City sedan veered into a group of Sunday morning
joggers and cyclists on Jl. Sudirman in front of the Bung Karno
Sports Complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta, killing four people
and injuring three others.

The fatalities were identified as Raslan, 27, a resident of
Semanan, Kalideres, West Jakarta; Hasrul Hakim, 36, a resident of
Cipinang, East Jakarta; and Abbas Hasan, 36, a resident of
Kampung Rawa, Johar Baru, Central Jakarta. The fourth fatality
has not been identified.

Yudi Wicaksono, 28, broke his left arm and suffered contusions
to the back of his head. Ilham Sentosa, 43, broke his left leg,
while Muasrif only suffered bruises to his legs. The three are
being treated at the Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital.

Eyewitnesses told the police that the joggers and cyclists had
been relaxing at around 6:10 a.m., resting and chatting on the
median strip separating the slow and fast lanes on the road
heading to Semanggi cloverleaf, when the accident occurred.

Suddenly, a silver Honda City sedan, driven by Raden Andreas
Kusumadiningrat, 39, sped toward them on the fast lane from the
direction of Jl. Sisingamangaraja. Andreas admitted that he had
been rushing from his home in Lebak Bulus, South Jakarta, to the
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Cengkareng, to pick up
his friend at 6:30 a.m. Witnesses confirmed that he was
definitely speeding.

Unaware that Jl. Sudirman and Jl. Thamrin fast lanes are
closed to motorists every Sunday morning from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.,
Andreas lost control when he saw white plastic barriers in front
of the sports complex.

Andreas was unable to stop and lost control. The car swerved
to the right and crashed into a barrier before hitting the busway
lane divider and veering to the left into the group.

The car then swerved to the right again, crossed the busway
lane divider and finally hit the busway shelter. The car spun
several times before it finally stopped with its hood facing Jl.
Sisingamangaraja.

The police arrested Andreas and seized his car. The car's
windshield was shattered, the hood wrecked and the rear axle
broken.

The police had questioned Andreas and three witnesses as of
Sunday afternoon.

"We took Andreas' urine and blood samples for tests to
determine his condition at the time of the accident," said Second
Adj. Insp. D. Bintoro, an officer with the Jakarta Police traffic
division. "We expect the results on Monday."