Fugitive driver surrenders to police

TANGERANG: The driver of a Sri Kertabumi bus that plunged into the Mookervat river near Jl. Daan Mogot, Batu Ceper district, Tangerang, surrendered himself to the police on Monday.

The driver, Makmun bin Sarim, 45, a resident of Baking village in Jayanti district, Tangerang regency, escaped after the accident, which caused the death of five passengers last week.

Makmun surrendered himself to his neighbor, Insp. Hadi, an officer at the hit-and-run unit at Jakarta Police Headquarters. Hadi later took him to Tangerang Police, according to Tangerang Police chief of detectives Insp. Kustanto.

Makmun, who was accompanied by his son-in-law, Alamsyah, claimed that he had been unable to surrender sooner because he had to have his broken shoulder bone fixed first in Serang.

He also claimed to have high blood pressure and when driving the bus at a speed of 60 kilometers per hour, suddenly suffered a "blackout" and lost control of the bus.--JP