Truck driver killed after losing control of vehicle in Kisii
Curious onlookers at the scene where a truck crashed into a river on the Kisii-Oyugis Road on August 30, 2016. The driver died on the spot. PHOTO | AGGREY OMBOKI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- James Ogongo, a eyewitness, said he was startled by a loud bang.
- Mr Ogongo was among the first people who arrived at the scene to try to rescue the driver.
- A traffic police officer, who did not wish to be named, said the bump that is suspected to have caused the accident was not marked.
- But Kisii County Police Commandant Agnes Mudambah said the truck driver must have been speeding.
A driver has been killed after losing control of his truck, which veered off the road and landed in a river on the Kisii-Oyugis road.
According to Clifford Mokaya, an eyewitness, the driver of the ill-fated vehicle sent several distress signals shortly before the accident.
“He had been hooting and flashing his lights relentlessly as he drove on the road,” he said.
“I tried to increase my speed and leave him behind, but the truck was moving at great speed too.
“Fearing for my safety, I drove off the road to let him pass as we approached the Riverside resort,” he added.
Mr Mokaya said he was lucky to escape the accident unhurt.
“I saw the truck speed by and hit a bump before veering off the road. The next thing I heard was a loud bang as it crashed into the trees and landed into the river beside the road,” he said.
HEARD LOUD BANG
James Ogongo, another eyewitness, said he was startled by a loud bang.
“I first heard a truck hoot as it went down the road and then [heard] a loud bang, followed by silence. I sensed it must have gone into the river from the silence, and began running towards the scene, he said.
Mr Ogongo was among the first people to arrive. He and others tried to help the driver get out of the wreckage.
“On reaching the scene, we saw the driver hanging out of the cabin in a precarious position. He was trapped in the mangled wreckage of the vehicle,” Mr Ogongo said.
Police officers were called to the scene and moved the body to the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary.
UNMARKED BUMP
A traffic police officer, who did not wish to be named, said the bump suspected to have caused the accident was not marked.
“Had the bump been marked by the relevant authorities, even a stranger to the area would have noticed it,” said the officer.
But Kisii County Police Commandant Agnes Mudambah said the truck driver must have been speeding.
While regretting the accident, she appealed to drivers to be careful when driving through areas they are not familiar with.
Ms Mudambah said that greater caution among drivers would reduce cases of what she termed “self-involved accidents”.
“His death is unfortunate and we sympathise with his family and employer.
“It should, however, serve as a warning and a lesson to other motorists to proceed with caution when driving in areas they are not used to,” she said.
