Policeman killed after buses hit patrol van

JAKARTA (JP): A police patrol van was hit by two speeding city buses yesterday on Jl. Raya Bogor in Pasar Rebo, East Jakarta, killing one policeman and injuring his colleague, an official said.

City police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said the dead victim was identified as Second Sgt. Marwanto and the injured as Chief Sgt. Husri. Marwanto died at Pasar Rebo hospital due to severe injuries all over his body, while Husri was treated at Kramat Jati hospital, both in East Jakarta.

"Two other officers, who were also on patrol, namely First Sgt. Slamet and Chief Cpl. Harsono, survived the incident because they were standing on the side of the road when the incident happened," Aritonang said.

The four police officers were on patrol duty around the time of the crash at 2:15 a.m.

Slamet parked the Kijang patrol van on the side of the road to check on a traffic accident, in which a mikrolet van had driven into a gutter.

"Slamet and Harsono were talking with the mikrolet driver when suddenly a Mayasari Bakti bus, number 02 with plate number B 7811 PD, hit the patrol van from behind," Aritonang said.

The impact forced the patrol van into the middle of the road. "Unfortunately another speeding Mayasari Bakti bus, number 02 with plate number B 7909 PD, fatally crashed into the patrol van also from behind just a few moment later.

"Marwanto, who was sitting on the back of the patrol car, was thrown under the Mayasari Bakti bus, while Husri was still in the patrol car," he explained.

The two were rushed to nearby hospitals by their fellow police officers.

East Jakarta Police chief Lt. Col. Syahrir Kuba told The Jakarta Post that the police had arrested the bus driver involved in the second incident, identified as Wawan, but the driver involved in the first crash escaped the scene.

"We're currently hunting down the missing driver, identified as Dede. Preliminary investigation revealed that the two buses apparently started racing each other as soon as they came out of the bus pool near the scene of the crash," he said.

Officer Marwanto was buried yesterday afternoon at Cilodong cemetery in Depok near his house.

Wawan was detained at East Jakarta Police Station along with the two buses seized as evidence. (edt)