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.