Pajero pursuit leaves one dead

A young businessman was killed after his Mitsubishi Pajero rammed into a trailer truck while allegedly racing with another Pajero on the streets of Ermita, Manila shortly after midnight last Thursday.

Traffic investigators said Vernon Tan, 27, of Tamar Village in Quezon City died of head and leg injuries an hour after he was taken to the Manila Medical Center (MMC) on UN Avenue in Manila.

Investigator SPO2 Rodrigo Tibio of the Western Police District-Traffic Enforcement Group (WPD-TEC) said Tan’s passenger, Arnold Santos, 30, said to be his employee, suffered head and body injuries and was taken to the same hospital for medical treatment.

"Witnesses said Tan appeared to be racing with another Pajero but failed to see a slow moving trailer truck ahead, resulting in an accident shortly after zooming past an intersection," Tibio said.

Initial investigation showed the traffic accident took place at around 12:55 a.m. at the corner of UN Avenue and San Marcelino street, Ermita, near the office of the WPD Press Corps.

Tibio said Tan was driving his red Mitsubishi Pajero (USA-111) apparently in hot pursuit of a black Pajero on UN Avenue.

Witnesses said when the black Pajero beat the red light, Tan tried to catch up but hit the rear of a truck (TPF-474) driven by Arthur Dagay, 28, of Parola Area in Manila.

Tibio said Dagay surrendered to police authorities immediately after the incident. – Cecille Suerte Felipe