A 16-wheeler dump truck loaded with sand rammed through 13 concrete and plastic barriers when its driver reportedly fell asleep while driving along Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) Santolan station in Quezon City, on Tuesday, March 25.
Aside from the barriers, a double arrow and “No Jaywalking” signage were also damaged at the Santolan bus carousel station.
The truck driver was driving too fast and allegedly fell asleep, based on initial police investigation.
"Nagulat na rin ako nyan kanina ang lakas din, parang lumilindol eh. Masasabi ko medyo mabilis kasi papaba pa siya eh. Palusong siya tapos siguro nakatulog na siya eh. Eh pag impact dyan siya nagising. Eh nagulat din siya eh. Wala na, na-impact na niya, nabangga na niya yung barrier (I was also surprised by the strong force of the impact. It felt like an earthquake. I can say that the driver was driving pretty fast and he was going downhill. He was going down and then he probably fell asleep. When he hit the barriers, that was when he woke up)," a security guard who witnessed the incident said.
The truck was reportedly bound for Taguig to deliver sand from Porac, Pampanga when the incident occurred.
The driver confessed that he fell asleep while driving.
"Nakaidlip po ko tapos ano nagulat na po ako nakaano na po ako nung kakabigin ko po yung manibela, di na po kaya (I dozed off and when I was awakened by the impact, it was already too late to even turn the steering wheel)," the driver said.
"Galing po akong nagkarga diretso pong karga tapos diretso byahe na po kaya po pagod po tapos po puyat (I had just come from loading the sand into the truck and drove straight to Manila from Pampanga. I was very tired and barely slept)," he added.
The truck driver will face charges of reckless imprudence resulting in damage to property.
After four hours of clearing-up operation, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) was able to remove the dump truck from the area at around 4:00 a.m.