Highway accident leaves 13 dead and 24 injured
A truck and a bus crashed head-on on the Northeast Toll Road
MONTE PLATA. Thirteen persons died, and another 24 were injured in a highway accident in which a truck and a bus full of passengers crashed at kilometer 30 of the Juan Pablo II Highway (Northeast Toll Road).
Doctor Cruz Alvarez said that the injured presented head trauma, multiple injuries and multiple fractures.
At the site of the accident personnel from Public Works and rescue units were on the scene. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (AMET) reported that the majority of the victims were traveling in the white Mitsubishi bus, license plate I 058319, heading to Samana, which crashed head-on with the white Isuzu truck, license plate L324062.
Among the injured are Marleni Acevedo, Jennifer Montero, Argenis Rafael García, Jacqueline Valdez, Auri Calcaño, Daniel Mullier, Isaura Peña, Rosaura Padilla, Indhira Cépeda, César Mieses, Aracelis Reyes, José Peña, Jairo Duarte Batista, Mariel Lila, Amada Kelly, Gina Tiriel and Jean Casimily Sima.
Also listed as injured are Dominga Sánchez, Julieta Montero Cipión, Jankeuris Valdez, Evel Guzmán Bello, Alexander Pourier Jiménez (truck driver), Dámaso Sarmiento Montilla (truck driver's assistant) and Ariel Lora Vázquez.
The victims
The AMET reported that the fatalities were identified as Freddy Valdez Jiménez, Fiordaliza Alcántara, Marino Rodríguez Jáquez, Águeda Rodríguez, Vicente Frías (bus driver), María Reyes, Graciela Martínez, Cismeli Cepeda Bonilla, Darling Javier Sufrond, Ana Rosa Fermín, Cristian Daniel Fermín and Rosa Mercedes Ramón. While the body of one woman had not been able to be identified as of last night.
As evening fell yesterday, at the Monte Plata hospital there were scenes of pain, sobbing and desperation by members of the families who arrived to confirm the tragic news that among the fatalities there was a relative, and others who asked about the condition of one of their people.
The scenes became even more dramatic when groups of families arrived with the coffin to carry the body of a loved one who, hours before, they had said goodbye and God speed, and would never return with life, as related between sobs by the sister of one of the victims, who did not want to give her name.
The Mayor of Las Terrenas, Mariano Vander Horst, reported that the city Council would cover the expenses of moving the bodies, and she declared three days of mourning in that city.
In the meantime, the Autopistas del Nordeste, the concessionaire of the Juan Pablo II Highway, expressed their sorrow for the regrettable accident, and called on drivers who use the highway to drive with caution and to respect the traffic laws.
Doctor Cruz Alvarez said that the injured presented head trauma, multiple injuries and multiple fractures.
At the site of the accident personnel from Public Works and rescue units were on the scene. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (AMET) reported that the majority of the victims were traveling in the white Mitsubishi bus, license plate I 058319, heading to Samana, which crashed head-on with the white Isuzu truck, license plate L324062.
Among the injured are Marleni Acevedo, Jennifer Montero, Argenis Rafael García, Jacqueline Valdez, Auri Calcaño, Daniel Mullier, Isaura Peña, Rosaura Padilla, Indhira Cépeda, César Mieses, Aracelis Reyes, José Peña, Jairo Duarte Batista, Mariel Lila, Amada Kelly, Gina Tiriel and Jean Casimily Sima.
Also listed as injured are Dominga Sánchez, Julieta Montero Cipión, Jankeuris Valdez, Evel Guzmán Bello, Alexander Pourier Jiménez (truck driver), Dámaso Sarmiento Montilla (truck driver's assistant) and Ariel Lora Vázquez.
The victims
The AMET reported that the fatalities were identified as Freddy Valdez Jiménez, Fiordaliza Alcántara, Marino Rodríguez Jáquez, Águeda Rodríguez, Vicente Frías (bus driver), María Reyes, Graciela Martínez, Cismeli Cepeda Bonilla, Darling Javier Sufrond, Ana Rosa Fermín, Cristian Daniel Fermín and Rosa Mercedes Ramón. While the body of one woman had not been able to be identified as of last night.
As evening fell yesterday, at the Monte Plata hospital there were scenes of pain, sobbing and desperation by members of the families who arrived to confirm the tragic news that among the fatalities there was a relative, and others who asked about the condition of one of their people.
The scenes became even more dramatic when groups of families arrived with the coffin to carry the body of a loved one who, hours before, they had said goodbye and God speed, and would never return with life, as related between sobs by the sister of one of the victims, who did not want to give her name.
The Mayor of Las Terrenas, Mariano Vander Horst, reported that the city Council would cover the expenses of moving the bodies, and she declared three days of mourning in that city.
In the meantime, the Autopistas del Nordeste, the concessionaire of the Juan Pablo II Highway, expressed their sorrow for the regrettable accident, and called on drivers who use the highway to drive with caution and to respect the traffic laws.