Driver in Skyway crash freed

March 14, 2024 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The driver of a Toyota Innova multi-purpose vehicle, which collided with a motorcycle rider who counter-flowed on Skyway Stage 3 in Quezon City was released from police custody on Tuesday.

The motorist, a 54-year-old man from San Mateo, Rizal, was freed after the criminal cases filed against him were dismissed, according to Capt. Jun Cornelio Estrellan, chief of the police Highway Patrol Group’s Southern Luzon Expressway sub-office.

The driver was ordered released by the Quezon City prosecutor’s office, which dismissed the cases of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and damage to property after the family of the motorcycle rider filed an affidavit of desistance.

Police said the 22-year-old rider counter-flowed at the northbound off ramp of the Skyway in Balintawak.

The motorcycle collided with the Toyota Innova. A security officer at the Skyway tried to stop the motorcycle, but the driver ignored him and drove off before the fatal crash.

Closed-circuit television footage as well as clips from the Innova’s dashcam video showed the motorcycle rider was the one at fault as he was traveling in the opposite direction.

The rider was also driving a Suzuki Raider, a sub-400cc motorcycle that is not allowed on the expressway.

Police said the rider violated other traffic rules as he was not carrying a driver’s license, had no helmet and was in slippers when the accident took place.

Estrellan said they had to file a case against the driver of the Innova as there was a fatality in the road crash.