Car Crashes into a Tree Then Enters a Ditch in Pangkep Regency, 5 People Killed

PANGKEP - Five passengers of the Toyota Calya car died and one person survived, after crashing into a tree on the Trans Sulawesi Poros Makassar-Parepare Road, Bontomatene Village, Segeri District, Pangkep Regency, South Sulawesi.

"The driver was allegedly in a lack of concentration (sleepy), so he swerved to the left and hit a tree on the left side of the road. The car then fell into a ditch on the left side of the road", said South Sulawesi Regional Police Traffic Director AKBP Faizal quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, January 5th.

The five victims were declared dead and trapped in the car for a moment plunged into a large ditch after the incident. However, one victim is still alive.

The identity of the victim who died was known to the driver on behalf of Muhammad Nasir (42) from Toraja. The passengers were two women and three men.

The respective victims, Madarensiwati Palallo (31), Salmawati Palallo, Reski Saputra Palallo, and Aralfa Gevariel Maheza (4) were declared dead on the spot, due to serious injuries to their heads and lacerations to their bodies.

Meanwhile, the male survivor, Hery Dualembang (31), is currently receiving medical treatment at the Sigeri Pangkep Health Center because he suffered lacerations to his forehead and calf.

It is known that the passengers who were victims of the accident have a family address at Jalan Jeruk Lime Furia Kotaraja, Wahnok Village, Abepura District, Jayapura City, Papua.

Faizal said that after receiving the report, officers went straight to the crime scene (TKP) to gather information. Assisted by residents, officials jointly evacuated the victims who were still in the car after they plunged into the ditch.

From the police's analysis, the vehicle was traveling from north to south, from Pangkep to Parepare City. The incident is estimated at around 04.00 WITA when the weather conditions were rainy.

"The accident then occurred at dawn and it was raining, so the residents did not know what happened", said Faizal.