Student killed in toll road accident

JAKARTA (JP): One student died and seven others were injured in an accident yesterday on the Jati Bening toll road at kilometer six near Jatiwaringin, East Jakarta.

Jeri Fit, 16, and seven friends, including Franco, Donaldus, Timoh, Judi and Kiki, were heading toward Pondok Gede when the accident occurred at around 3:15 p.m. The two other youths were not identified.

An employee at the Cikampek toll office, Wardoyo, said it was believed that the students' Kijang van was speeding at least 80 kilometers per hour in the slow lane.

"A taxi driver who witnessed the accident said the students' van lost control after it was overtaken by another van," Wardoyo said.

The van rolled over four times before it stopped near a gutter, Wardoyo quoted the witness as saying.

Franco, 16, who drove the van, said an Isuzu Escudo minivan had abruptly passed the Kijang. Being surprised, he said he quickly swerved to the left and the van lost balance.

Franco admitted neither he nor his seven companions owned driver's licenses. He also could not show vehicle documentation.

Franco and his injured friends were brought to nearby Indonesia Christian University Hospital in East Jakarta. (cst)