"Three people died," Semarang Police Chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Achmad Oka Mahendra said here Sunday in response to local journalists' question on the fatal traffic accident.
The multi-car crash occurred after a truck passing a downhill road smashed into several cars and motorbikes when approaching the intersection.
Mahendra said the dead victims were Rudy Oky Candra, Aditya Dwiky Hartanto (both are residents of Pabelan Subdistrict, Semarang District), and Aldi Eko Saputro (a resident of Banyumanik Subdistrict, Semarang City).
One of the injured victims is in critical condition, he said, adding that the Central Java police have probed the crash, and arrested the truck driver, only identified by his initials AR.
The police investigators found that AR had no valid driving license for driving a truck. Instead of having the valid "B2 Umum" driving license, he just had the "A" one, he said.
This multi-car crash that was caused by the truck with license plate number AD-8911-IA has added the number of fatal road accidents in Indonesia.
Over the past few years, several deadly traffic accidents had occurred and posed a steady challenge to Indonesia's reputation in transportation safety.
On July 18, 2022, for instance, a fuel tanker truck collided with several vehicles on the Transyogi Alternative Street Cibubur, Bekasi City, West Java, killing 10 people.
On August 31, 2022, another deadly road traffic accident recurred. This time, the crash involved a trailer truck on the Sultan Agung Road, Bekasi, West Java.
The accident, which occurred at a time coinciding with the conclusion of the class at the Kota Baru II and III Public Primary School, claimed 10 lives.
In September 2019, at least six died in a crash involving multiple cars at Cipularang toll road's KM 91+400 in Purwakarta, West Java Province.
According to spokesman of state-owned toll operator PT Jasa Marga Tbk Dwimawan Heru, no less than 10 vehicles were involved in this lethal accident.
On July 19, 2019, five people lost their lives, while three others suffered grave injuries after a pickup car rammed into a minivan on the Cikopo-Palimanan (Cipali) toll road in West Java.
Related news: Six people killed, two injured in East Java's train-car crash
Related news: Treatment rights upheld for Tegal tour bus accident victims: BPJS
Translator: IC Senjaya, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Sri Haryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2023
