Car rams truck in QC; 3 dead

Three people were killed when a car traveling at break-neck speed rammed a cement mixer truck near the flyover on Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City at dawn yesterday.

Witnesses said the black Toyota Corolla sedan (TAN 931) was allegedly racing with another vehicle on the southbound lane when it jumped over the center island and slammed into the oncoming truck on the opposite lane at around 3 a.m.

Killed were the car’s driver Richard Carlo Giovanni, 24, of V. Luna Road, Quezon City and his passengers Cris Santos, 37, of Scout Lozano, Barangay Laging Handa, Quezon City and Sedfrey Villotes, 28, Escopa in Project 4, Quezon City.

SPO1 Marcelo Subado a traffic officer of the Central Police District said the Corolla was blowing its horn repeatedly as it sped along Katipunan.

Upon reaching the intersection of Katipunan and P. Tuazon, the vehicle suddenly jumped over the center island and slammed into the cement mixer truck (UUB-867) being driven by Roberto Paguipo of 20 Tandang Sora, Quezon City.

Paguipo said he was driving at normal speed on the northbound lane of Katipunan Avenue when the car suddenly appeared and crashed into his vehicle.

Traffic enforcers who responded to the accident pulled out the three men from the wreckage and rushed them to the Quirino Memorial Hospital, where doctors declared them dead on arrival.

A taxi driver, who witnessed the accident, said in a television interview that the car was running at top speed then started going out of control before jumping into the northbound lane.

"I saw the fire coming out from the muffler of the car," the driver said.

Police said this could indicate the car was equipped with a nitrous oxide system used for drag racing.