Policeman killed after buses hit patrol van

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)