After bumping into motorcycle in QC, fleeing van mobbed by bystanders

A van driver went viral on social media when he allegedly tried to speed off after he bumped a motorcycle in Quezon City on Tuesday night.

According to Tina Panganiban-Perez’s report on “24 Oras” on Wednesday, a viral video showed bystanders kicking and attempting to block the van as it attempted to maneuver along EDSA in a bid to make a turn towards New York Street.

The incident happened at around 9:10 p.m. Tuesday.

In the video, the van was shown with its shattered windshield, but the bystanders still kept on trying to stop the vehicle from fleeing. One even pelted the van with a motorcycle helmet.

The altercation prompted vehicles along EDSA to halt, which gave the van an opportunity to maneuver towards New York Street but bystanders still tried to block its path.

The video showed a motorcycle on its side on New York Street – the motorcycle which was bumped by the van and the cause of the van driver’s attempt to flee.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Josef Geoffrey Lyndon Lim, chief of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) – District Traffic Enforcement Unit (DTEU), said the van driver allegedly bumped the motorcycle moments before.

“Ang nangyari po, instead na huminto siya at tulungan ang kanyang nabangga, nag-attempt po siya na tumakas at bumalik sa EDSA. Pero ‘yung mga tao po doon during that time, inattempt naman po nila na pigilan itong van para umalis,” Lim said.

(Instead of stopping and helping the other party, he attempted to escape towards EDSA. But people there during that time, they attempted to stop the van from leaving.)

The video also showed one of the bystanders picking up the license plate of the van, while the van attempted to drive away. However, the van driver was unsuccessful in his attempt to flee.

“Nung nakaalis po siya, agad po naitawag sa ating kapulisan at ang mga patroller ng Police Station 7. Na-intercept po siya at na-arrest po ang ating driver at in-turnover po sa Traffic Sector 4 sa Kamuning,” Lim said.

(When he left, the incident was immediately reported to our police and patrollers of Police Station 7. He was intercepted and arrested, and the driver was turned over to Traffic Sector 4 in Kamuning.)

The QCPD-DTEU issued a traffic citation ticket against the driver for reckless driving, while the van is now in the custody of the DTEU Traffic Sector 4.

Lim said the driver of the van and the motorcycle rider eventually reached a settlement.

“Nag-usap po yung dalawang partido at ito pong ating biktima ay hindi na magpu-pursue ng anumang pong reklamo at nagkaayos po silang dalawa. And sa part naman po natin ng QCPD, we will be submitting also report po sa LTO (Land Transportation Office) regarding this incident,” the police official said.

(The two parties talked and the victim decided not to file a complaint as they came to a settlement. On the part of the QCPD, we will be also submitting a report to the LTO regarding this incident.)

GMA Integrated News is reaching out to the LTO for its statement on the incident.

Lim said the bystanders and motorists who attempted to stop the van driver from fleeing may be held liable for damages, but said the van driver did not file a complaint against them.

He also reminded the public to remember the essence of Christmas: to be joyful, safe, and peaceful as they celebrate the holidays. — JMA, GMA Integrated News