By CESAR JOLITO III

A 19-year-old man was killed after his motorcycle slammed into a truck along the national highway at Barangay Sta. Teresa in Negros Occidental’s Manapla town on Monday afternoon, October 20.

Police identified the victim only by his alias, Samuel, a resident of Sitio Sangay, Barangay Purisima, in the same town.

Initial investigation by the Manapla police revealed that the truck, driven by a certain 52-year-old Reynaldo, of Sitio Macabal-ong, Barangay Magsaysay, Cadiz City, was heading from Cadiz towards Manapla and was making a turn into the Lopez Transloading Compound when the motorcycle, which was coming from the opposite direction, collided with it in Hacienda Bariw around 1:45 p.m.

Authorities said the motorcycle went directly underneath the truck upon impact. The victim sustained severe injuries to various parts of his body and was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

Police noted that the victim was reportedly speeding at the time of the incident.

The truck driver is currently in police custody pending further investigation and appropriate legal action.

Traffic investigators continue to determine whether reckless driving or other factors contributed to the fatal crash./CJ, WDJ