High school student killed by bus

JAKARTA (JP): A high school student on his way to school was run over early Friday morning by a speeding minibus on Jl. Pondok Gede, East Jakarta.

Ponco Winoto, 17, was rushed to the nearby Haj Hospital, but died upon arrival. His body was taken to the morgue at Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, where his family claimed the body later in the afternoon.

Ponco, the youngest of five siblings, was a third year student at state-run STM 10 in Cibubur, East Jakarta. His brother, Basuki Rahmat, said Ponco had frequently appeared in supporting actor roles in various television miniseries.

A friend of the dead student said the incident happened at about 7 a.m. as Ponco, together with some of his schoolmates, waited for a bus to go to school.

The students tried to stop a passing minibus, but it sped up toward them. All of the students ran to avoid the bus. Ponco, however, was knocked down and run over by the minibus.

Students and locals immediately blocked the bus, capturing the driver. The minibus conductor, however, managed to flee the scene.

A school teacher, who passed the site of the incident, prevented the students from burning the bus, urging them to make their way to the school. The driver was later questioned at a nearby police subprecinct. (04)