Driver who fell asleep causes death of four in Tarlac

Four persons were killed and six others were hurt when a bus driver fell asleep at the wheel, causing his vehicle to swerve and slam into a van on the opposite lane of the national highway in Gerona, Tarlac on Thursday before daybreak. Initial reports reaching Camp Crame, Supt. Salvador Destura, Gerona police chief, said the fatalities were identified as Myla Rose Mones, sisters Maricel and Maribel Galvez and driver Joseph Galleros, all on board a Mitsubishi L-300 van died in the collision, which happened at about 4 a.m. in Barangay San Antonio in Gerona town.

Six other passengers of the van were hurt and were taken to the nearby Jecson Hospital in Tarlac City.

No one among the 30 passengers of the Florida bus, which is heading to Manila from La Union was hurt.

Destura said in his report that the bus driver, Bobby de Leon, admitted having dozed off, causing the bus to swerve to the opposite lane where the northbound van was cruising.

According to Destura, it appeared that the van tried to avoid the bus until it reaches the shoulder of the road where he was hit who comes from opposite direction.

The Gerona collision brought to 19 the number of fatalities from vehicular accidents in Central Luzon since December 28. -SAMMY MARTIN, Manila Times