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."