‘Hit and run’ suspect gets amicable settlement from two victims, walks free

Police cordons the area where the SUV, Ford Everest, with a motorcycle stuck under it, at a condominium parking lot in Barangay Guadalupe. Police arrested the driver of the vehicle, who was a hit-and-run suspect. | Contributed photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Even if the ‘hit-and-run’ suspect got an amicable settlement from his two victims, a male taxi driver and female motorcycle on Thursday afternoon, April 7, 2022, police will still continue to submit an investigation report addressed to the Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas (LTO-7).

Police Major Nolan Tagsip, chief of Abellana Police Station, confirmed this, saying that they would continue their investigation report against Mel Carlo Villanueva, SUV driver from Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City, and would recommend the revocation of his driver’s license.

This was after Villanueva literally dragged a motorcycle stuck under his SUV — a Ford Everest — from Osmeña Boulevard in Cebu City, where his SUV crashed into the motorcycle, to his home about 2 kilometers away in Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City. The incident happened after he first hit the back of a taxi unit and then sped off, causing the taxi driver to chase after him.

Reaching Osmeña Boulevard, Villanueva also hit a motorcycle driven by a female driver, who was standing by on the street, waiting for the traffic light to turn green. The collision threw the woman from the motorcycle and she landed on the pavement. Her motorcycle got stuck under the SUV of Villanueva, who did not stop but continued to drive to his home in Barangay Guadalupe, which was around 2 kilometers away from the collision site.

The incident happened past 2 a.m. on Thursday, April 7.

“Nagkasettle na ang tulo ka parties. Unya nisaad ang nakabangga nga sya ang moshoulder sa tanan, ang pagparepair sa motor, sa taxi ug sa minor injuries nga natamo sa babaye,” Tagsip said.

(The three parties settled their differences amicably. The SUV driver, who caused the collisions, promised to shoulder all expenses, the repair of the motorcycle, the taxi and the minor injuries of the female driver.)

On how much would the financial assistance would be, Tagsip said he had no information about it.

READ: Hit-and-run driver, drags motorcycle stuck under his SUV to his home 2 km away, nabbed

It can be recalled that Villanueva was arrested on Thursday morning, April 7, outside his condominium unit in Barangay Guadalupe.

On the same day, he was also released from jail since all parties agreed to settle.

“Dili man pod namo pwede mahold nga walay ifile nga kaso kay kami maoy madaot ana…on the criminal aspect, wala na kay nagkasettle naman sila,” he added.

(We cannot hold him because no complaint was filed and it would be us who would be at a disadvantage… on the criminal aspect, there is none because the parties agreed to settle their differences.)

Following this incident, Tagsip reminds the public to always practice responsible and defensive driving to minimize risk and avoid a similar incident from happening. 

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