Eight killed, two injured in toll road accident

JAKARTA (JP): Two people injured in Sunday's accident on the Tanjung Priok-Cawang toll road which killed eight, including a two-year-old boy, were still being treated at Islamic Hospital in Cempaka Putih on Monday.

One of the survivors, Nani Pariani, 30, whose husband, a policeman, died in the accident, suffered a broken left leg and was undergoing surgery at the hospital.

The other victim was identified as her brother, Kiswantoro, 40.

Nani said she could not recall any details of the accident. "We were joking with each other at the time. We were having a good time when the accident happened," Nani, who is five months pregnant, said at the hospital before her surgery.

She did remember attempting to escape from the vehicle after the accident. "I tried to wake my husband up, but he didn't move. I didn't know whether he was still alive or not."

The accident occurred at around 8:30 a.m. on Sunday. In the Suzuki Carry minivan in which Nani and Kiswantoro were riding there were eight people, six of whom died instantly after their vehicle collided with a Honda Accord sedan.

"The sedan, license plate number B 1571 AR, was driven by Daniel Poputra, 25, who died instantly. His female friend, Jami, 19, died at Indonesian Christian University Hospital, where she had been taken for treatment," North Jakarta Police chief Lt. Col. Wisjnu Amat Sastro said on Monday.

The officer said the six victims in the Suzuki Carry minivan were related. He identified them as Nani's husband, Chief Sgt. I Gede Permana, 30, who was driving the minivan, and their two-year-old son, Putu. Also killed were Hertati, 46; Puji Astuti, 43; Iim, 25; and Yuannisa, 16.

A relative of Nani said at the hospital that in view of her pregnancy, Nani had not been told that her husband and son were killed in the accident.

"We told her that everyone survived," the relative said, "but it doesn't seem like she believed us."

Wisjnu said Permana was a North Jakarta Police detective. He said the officer and his family were returning from a family gathering at Pondok Gede in Bekasi.

"The van was heading for Cawang on the toll road when the Honda Accord sedan hit it from behind. The minivan hit the brakes and swerved to the left, where it hit the toll road fence and overturned, killing all of the passengers except Nani and Kiswantoro," Wisjnu said.

A Kijang van and a taxi were also involved in the accident, but there were no serious injuries in either of these vehicles.

Also on Sunday at about 7 p.m., a speeding Taft jeep jumped the Pancoran road barrier and crashed into two pedestrians and another car on Jl. Raya Pasar Minggu in South Jakarta.

The pedestrians and the driver of the car died instantly, South Jakarta Police chief of detectives Maj. Rycko Amelza Daniel said on Monday.

Rycko identified the three victims as Warmilah, 35, Maisaroh, 16, and Yati, 25.

The case is being investigated by the police. (ylt/01).