2 dead in 7-vehicle smashup

BOCAUE, Bulacan, Philippines — A couple died when a truck sideswiped their tricycle in a seven-vehicle smash-up in this town on Monday.

Lt. Col. Manuel de Vera Jr., Bocaue police chief, identified the fatalities as Laureano Mendoza and Jennifer Tarog, both rice traders and residents of Barangay Caingin.

Initial investigation showed the accident occured at 2:15 p.m. along MacArthur Highway in Barangay Wakas.

The truck driver, Juanito Singson Jr., reportedly lost control of the wheel due to brake failure.

Rescue personnel took around four hours to extricate the body of Mendoza, which was pinned by the truck. Tarog, who was thrown off the tricycle, was run over by the truck.

De Vera said the truck first hit a Toyota Fortuner then crashed into the tricycle before it collided with an aluminum van. The van then hit a jeepney, which struck another truck that collided with a sport utility vehicle.

It has yet to be determined if the passengers of the other vehicles were hurt.

Singson was placed under the custody of the Bocaue police. He is facing charges of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and multiple damage to property.