TUBA, Benguet – A 43-year old truck helper died after he was rammed over by the La Union-bound cargo truck where he was on board when he attempted to jump out of the vehicle that sustained mechanical trouble along the Palispis-Aspiras highway, particularly at Upper Poblacion, here, shortly after lunch Saturday.
Police authorities identified the victim as Lucio Gerald Gammad Cauan, 43, truck helper and a resident of Shamolog, Pico, la Trinidad, Benguet while the driver was named as Alex Gonzalgo Cuenco, 47, truck driver and a resident of barangay Sampaloc, Pantabanangan, Nueva Ecija.
Initial police investigation showed that the victim and the driver were on board a cargo truck heeding towards La Union when the vehicle suddenly suffered from mechanical trouble, particularly when it lost its brakes, while descending on the accident-prone area of the road.
The victim suddenly jumped off the vehicle. However, he was accidentally rammed over by the rear wheel of the speeding vehicle that resulted to his alleged instantaneous death while the driver voluntarily surrendered to responding police operatives of the Tuba Municipal Police Station.
Probers are still conducting an investigation to ascertain the real cause of the accident along the critical portion of the town’s major highway.
By Dexter A. See