The driver of the dumptruck that crashed into the railing of the Maguikay flyover in Mandaue City on Tuesday miscalculated when he tried to overtake a multicab in front of him.
The owner, PO1 John Raymond Velasquez, said his driver Renato Racaza lost control after failing to check the opposite lane and noticed a speeding habal-habal (motorcycle-for-hire) rider when he overtook the multi-cab.
“There was a multicab in front. When he overtook it, he saw a motorcycle.
He swerved to the railings thinking it’s better to crash the railings that hit the rider,” he said.
The driver didn’t stop after the accident .
“He was scared that he might be beaten up by people in the area who helped the habal-habal driver so he ran away and went home,” Velasquez said.
Damage to the concrete railing was placed at P112,000 by the Department of Public Works and Highways.
Engr. Eda de Guzman said that based on their team’s site inspection, the damage was “minimal”.
The truck owner went to the DPWH office yesterday and promised to pay for the repair.
“He said he will purchase the materials and by tomorrow evening, he will start with the repair,” she said, with supervision of the DPWH.
De Guzman said repairs on the eight-meter railings can be finished in two to three days.
The owner said his driver planned to visit the Traffic Management Unit (TMU) of the Mandaue City Police Office after he went home to Jaclupan, Talisay City but it rained hard so he reset his visit to to the police precinct yesterday.
The habal-habal driver suffered only minor scratches all over his body and a one-and-a-half-inch cut in his head, said his 27-year-old son, Rey Dhan Curaraton.
The driver, Alexander, was released from the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.
Rey said the truck owner paid the hospital bills and assure dhe owuld replace the damaged motorcycle and reimburse their daily expenses after the accident.
Damage
While the son said the family could still file charges against the driver, truck owner Velasquez said he will work out a settlement with the victim.
Damage to the concrete railing was placed at P112,000 by the Department of Public Works and Highways 6th District Engineering Office
Engr. Eda de Guzman of the DPWH 6th District Engineering Office, said based on their team’s site inspection, the damage was “minimal”.
The truck owner went to the DPWH office yesterday and promised to pay for the repair.
Repair
“He said he will purchase the materials and by tomorrow evening, he will start with the repair,” she said, with supervision of the DPWH.
De Guzman said repairs on the eight-meter railings can be finished in two to three days.