2 hurt as drunk driver rams pickup truck into tricycles in Cavite

A 62-year-old man was arrested in Naic, Cavite for drunk driving on Thursday night which left two people injured and several tricycles damaged. 

According to a "24 Oras" report by Jonathan Andal on Friday, the suspect, who introduced himself as a mechanical engineer from Ternate, Cavite, attempted to flee the scene but was stopped after police fired at the tires of his speeding pickup truck.

The incident happened around 7:30 p.m. The suspect’s pickup truck rammed into a row of parked tricycles. Instead of stopping, he reversed and appeared to escape.

What the driver didn’t know was that nearby police officers, who happened to be eating at a karinderia (eatery), heard the crash and quickly responded.

“Agad tinutukan ng pulis ang pickup. Pero hindi ito huminto, kaya pinaputukan na ang gulong,” the report stated.

(The police immediately pointed their guns at the pickup. But it didn’t stop, so they shot the tires.)

Video footage showed the vehicle still moving after being shot. A passenger was seen sitting at the back of the truck. The truck reversed again, turned around, and crashed once more. The police fired additional shots, forcing the vehicle to stop. All five occupants were ordered to step out.

“Ako kinausap ko mismo. Sabi niya, sir, sa inyo? Sabi niya, sir, nakainom kami. Hindi lang nakainom kundi lasing talaga,” said Naic Police Acting Chief Lt. Col. Resty Soriano.

(I spoke to him. He said, ‘Sir, is that yours?’ Then he said, ‘Sir, we had a drink.’ But they didn't just have a drink, they were really drunk.)

Two of the victims, Danilo de Omampo, 51, and his wife, Normina de Omampo, 52, were on one of the tricycles that was hit. Danilo, the driver of the tricycle, suffered injuries to his arm after being pinned, while Normina was hurt in the hip area. Both are now in stable condition at a local hospital.

The driver reportedly agreed to shoulder the cost of repairs for the five damaged tricycles, as well as the hospital expenses of the injured couple. 

The Cavite Police Provincial Office is set to commend the two responding officers—Police Chief Master Sergeant Wildee Patron and Patrolman Joemar Felix—on Monday for their swift and effective response. Both are part of the Cavite Provincial Mobile Force Company and were on Comelec checkpoint duty in Naic due to the recent elections.

“Ang pulis dapat talaga, nasa labas talaga. Kasi kung hindi na-respond yan or hindi naaktuhan na ano yun, mas may damage pa na pwedeng mangyari,” said Soriano.

(Police should really be out there. Because if that hadn’t been responded to or caught in the act, more damage could have happened.)

The senior citizen was charged at the provincial prosecutor’s office with reckless imprudence resulting in multiple physical injuries and damage to property, resistance and disobedience to a person in authority, and driving under the influence of alcohol. —Sherylin Untalan and Jonathan Andal/LDF/VBL, GMA Integrated News