Two people were killed and three others injured in a nine-vehicle collision along Tagaytay–Santa Rosa Road in Sitio Muzon, Barangay Puting Kahoy, Silang, on Wednesday morning.
“One victim has been identified as a motorcycle driver, while the other remains undetermined as to which vehicle he was riding,” said Lt. Col. Joseph Macatangay, chief of the Silang police.
Among the injured was a five-year-old girl who was crossing the road on her way to school at the time of the accident.
CCTV footage showed that at around 7:20 a.m., a 10-wheeler truck traveling toward Santa Rosa City, Laguna plowed into a row of vehicles. Eight other vehicles were crashed, including a sports utility van, two other cars, and some motorcycles.
After the initial collision, the truck continued for more than a kilometer before stopping in a grassy spot where the driver got off in Barangay Santo Domingo, Santa Rosa City.
Quoting witnesses, police said the driver even lighted a cigarette before casually walking away, then rode in a commuter vehicle.
Initial investigation indicated that the truck might have lost its brakes while negotiating a downhill stretch. Witnesses said it was travelling at high speed.
“Even from up there, the driver was already shouting. Then somewhere around this area, it rammed into other vehicles. All hell broke loose,” a witness said.
The truck driver has been identified and is currently being tracked down by the police. He would potentially face a string of criminal charges including double homicide through reckless imprudence, multiple physical injuries, and damage to property.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “2 dead, 3 hurt in 9-vehicle pileup on Tagaytay–Santa Rosa Road”
