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22.11.2014 General News

Drunk Driver Kills 8

By Daily Guide
Drunk Driver Kills 8
22.11.2014 LISTEN

CAGED! Isaac Essien
EIGHT PEOPLE perished and five others sustained critical injuries after the drunk driver of a DAF truck, at top speed, ran over seven vehicles at Sofoline in Kumasi Wednesday evening.

The driver, Isaac Essien, 33, who was said to be totally drunk, tried speeding away after committing the offence and this compelled policemen on a road check mission to shoot at the tyres to stop the speeding truck.

The police then stopped a mob that rushed to the scene with intent to lynch Essien, who, interestingly, was wearing a green t-shirt with the inscriptions, 'Ask me for Alomo Bitters' – a locally brewed alcoholic beverage.

Checks in the truck, registered GR 7413-12, revealed various empty sachets of locally brewed alcoholic beverages, which Essien was suspected to have consumed whilst behind the steering wheel.

The deceased persons included seven males and a female, believed to be a second-year student of the University of Education Winneba, Kumasi campus, who was returning home after attending classes.

The five persons that sustained injuries were rushed to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi for treatment by onlookers. The dead were also dumped at the hospital's morgue.

The truck, laden with 'Kasapreko' and 'Alomo' bitters, was coming from the Abuakwa area to Obuasi, when it ran over vehicles ahead of it around 10:00 pm.

Seven vehicles, including mini Urvan bus, Toyota and Opel taxi cabs, were trapped by the speeding truck, resulting in three deaths at the scene, Richard Karikari, National Road Safety Committee Member, said.

Some of the trapped vehicles were dragged on the road for some minutes, making the fear-stricken people in those vehicles wail and shout for help, which never arrived.

According to Karikari, three people, including a taxi driver, who were trapped under the truck, lost their lives at the accident scene, and the other five deaths occurred at the hospital.

Relatives of the deceased, amid wailing, rushed to the accident scene from all corners of the city – which had then been plunged into total darkness due to power outage.

Meanwhile, this paper has learnt that the driver had been charged for drunk driving and careless driving and he was expected to be hauled to court yesterday morning.

FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi
 
 

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