A family of four were killed after a sugarcane truck tipped over and crushed the car they were riding in at Purok Malipayon, Barangay Atipuluan, Bago City, yesterday afternoon.

Police identified the fatalities as Romulo Espinosa, Josephine Espinosa, Cristine Sarcia, and John Vincent Sarcia; all residents of Barangay Batuan, La Carlota City, Negros Occidental.

Traffic investigators from the Bago City Police Station said the family were aboard their Hyundai Eon compact car and were heading towards La Carlota City at the time of the incident.

Witnesses told police the car stopped along the side of a sugarcane truck, driven by Herman Majomisano, after the car’s driver noticed the truck’s erratic movement.

However, when the truck straightened out, it tipped over and crushed the compact car below.

Bystanders called Bago City police and emergency services, while others rushed to the vehicle in an attempt to rescue its occupants.

Rescuers managed to lift the debris and the truck from the vehicle only to discover the heavy load had crushed the vehicle, as they described, “like a tin can,” with all the occupants killed on the spot.

Majomisano, meanwhile, surrendered to police after the incident.

According to Majomisano, he was unaware the load he was carrying was too heavy and had only traveled around two kilometers from his point of origin.

The truck driver may face charges for multiple vehicular manslaughter and is presently detained at the Bago City Police Station./DGB, WDJ