By Shiela G. Gelera

A 73-year-old man died in a vehicular accident in front of the Government Service Insurance System building at Araneta Street in Barangay Tangub, Bacolod City around 9:40 a.m. yesterday.

Felix Nantha, a resident of Victorias City, Negros Occidental, was brought by the La Carlota DRRMO ambulance to the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital but he was declared dead by the attending physicians at around 10:32 a.m., a police report said.

Traffic investigation showed that the panel truck, with plate number WAQ 633, driven by 26-year-old Reggie Alferez of San Carlos City was going south of the road.

Alferez said in a media interview that he did not see Nantha crossing at the pedestrian lane because there was another delivery van beside his truck.

The tires of the panel truck were also old that although Alferez tried to step on the brakes, it did not immediately stop, he said.

He added that he would have also tried to swerve the truck to his right but there was also another vehicle.

Nantha was hit by the left side mirror of the panel truck. The batwan fruits being carried by the victim also scattered on the road.

According to some bystanders, Nantha was already near the center island but he was still hit by the panel truck.

Nantha reportedly came from GSIS to follow-up some benefits or he might have some transactions at the said office.

As of this writing, Alferez is temporarily detained at the custodial facility of the Police Station 8./SGG, WDJ