Three people were killed in a three-vehicle collision involving a passenger jeepney, a dump truck and a motorcycle along Mambabanga Road in Luna on Wednesday morning, police said.
The accident occurred at about 9:20 a.m., according to Jonathan J. Ramos, chief of the Luna Municipal Police Station.
Police said the dump truck was traveling toward Cabatuan, Isabela, while the jeepney and the motorcycle were heading toward Cauayan City when the collision happened.
The jeepney was carrying 11 passengers at the time of the crash. Three of them were declared dead, including a 19-year-old male student from Barangay Del Pilar in Cabatuan, a 61-year-old resident of Barangay Harana in Luna, and a female passenger from Barangay Sampaloc in Cabatuan.
Eight other jeepney passengers sustained injuries and were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. The motorcycle driver, a 26-year-old man from Quezon, was also injured in the collision, police said.
Initial investigation showed that the dump truck allegedly encroached into the opposite lane, causing it to collide with the oncoming jeepney. The motorcycle then crashed into the vehicles following the initial impact, police added.
Rescue teams from the local government of Luna responded immediately and transported the injured victims to the nearest medical facilities.
The 50-year-old driver of the dump truck, a resident of Barangay Villa Concepcion in Cauayan City, is currently under police custody. Authorities said he will be subjected to inquest proceedings as the investigation continues.
Police said further findings will determine possible charges in connection with the fatal crash.
