Four students killed after truck hits minivan

Four students killed after truck hits minivan

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra

A truck collided with a passenger minivan in Deliserdang regency,
North Sumatra, on Monday, killing at least four senior high
school students, including two females, and injuring eight
others.

The accident occurred at around 6:30 a.m. on Jl. Pertahanan in
the village of Petumbak II, as the victims traveled to school
aboard the public transportation vehicle.

Local residents and police blamed the crash on the
recklessness of several truck drivers traveling at high speed to
Petumbak from Deliserdang.

Amri, an eyewitness, said an unloaded truck, registration
number B 9646 ET, tried to overtake two other trucks in front and
managed to do so.

Seconds later, the same truck was unable to slow down when the
ill-fated Rajawali minivan, registration number BK 1412 MW,
appeared from the opposition direction, heading toward Medan
Amplas.

"The minivan took avoiding action but the truck directly hit
the right wing of the minivan, which was thrown from the road by
the force of the impact," Amri told The Jakarta Post at the
scene.

"After colliding with the minivan, the truck slammed into a
motorcycle repair service shop belonging to local villager Jansen
Tarigan. The building was also destroyed," he added.

Police said the truck driver fled the scene shortly after the
collision, and they were still searching for him.

Amri said three of the four dead students -- Nurmala Haswita,
Heri, and Suheri -- were killed instantly at the scene, while the
fourth, Sarmila, died after being taken to Santi Petumbak
hospital.

All four were from Petumbak I village.

At least two of the eight injured students -- Ardiansyah and
Agus -- sustained serious injuries to the head. The driver of the
minivan, identified as Ucok Rangin, was only lightly wounded in
the accident.

Police said the injured victims were undergoing medical
treatment at several locations, including Deli Tua, Sembiring,
Tanjung Morawa and Pirngadi hospitals.

Traffic unit chief at Patumbak Police M. Purba said his office
was investigating the collision by questioning the minivan
driver.

The accident had claimed the greatest number of lives this
year in Deliserdang, he said.

He added that the accident scene was not regarded as one prone
to traffic accidents.

"The collision occurred due to recklessness on the part of the
truck driver, who collided with the minivan," Purba said.

"We are looking for the truck driver, who ran away after the
collision," he said, adding that the police had secured both the
minivan and the truck as evidence.

On July 27, four elementary school students were killed after
being knocked down in Sambirejo district, some 30 kilometers from
the North Sumatra capital, Medan.

The accident occurred when a group of elementary school
students on their way home were crossing the road in front of
their school. They were hit by a minivan being driven at high
speed. The victims died instantly.

Days later, police captured the minivan driver who had run
away after the accident.