Jeep crushes female street sweeper to death

JAKARTA (JP): A female public cleaner was crushed to death by a speeding jeep while sweeping Jl. Pluit Utara Raya in North Jakarta yesterday morning.

The driver of the Taft jeep, apparently a local high school student, was held by the worker's colleagues, who stopped the vehicle a few meters from the scene.

The victim was identified as Raha, 30, of Jl. Muara Baru Ujung.

Raha died on the spot after her head was crushed under the vehicle's wheels.

Her colleague Situn said Raha was sweeping the street at around 6:45 a.m. when the car hit her from behind.

"I was on the dump truck when I heard her scream," Situn said.

Raha, who had migrated from the South Sulawesi capital of Ujungpandang a few years ago, is survived by four children. Situn said her fisherman husband, Daeng Tiroh, was at present sailing in Balinese waters.

"Her eldest child is 12 years old and studying at an elementary school while the youngest is just two years old," Situn said.

"Her children are just like me, poor and helpless. But they no longer have their mother."

Sutanto, an executive director of PT Nangka Citra Tama which employed Raha, said that the victim had been employed by the cleaning service company for about 18 months.

"She worked from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m.," said Sutanto who visited the body of his employee, which was being kept for a post-mortem examination at the Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital.

Nangka Citra would soon hand over the life insurance to Raha's family, Sutanto, without giving any details of the amount.

The alleged suspect has been detained for questioning at the North Jakarta police precinct.

A police officer, who declined to be named, said the student would be processed under the regular procedure.

"We don't know who his parents are, or what they do ... but we'll process him," he said, adding that the suspect was from a rich family.

He also said that the suspect's twin brother was also in the car when the accident took place.

Mariam, who claimed to be a close relative of Raha, said the suspect's mother had promised to handle the living and educational costs of all of the victim's children until they grow up.

"His mother talked to me at the police station just now and asked me not to disturb her son because he is still a student and young," said Mariam.

Raha's body will be buried at the Tegal Alun cemetery in West Jakarta as soon as her husband arrives. (04)