A 69-year-old man died after being hit by an ambulance transporting a patient at around 5:00 a.m. on Sitio Nasub-ong, Barangay Caradio-an, Himamaylan City.
The victim, identified as Jose Vallar, was crossing the road with his carabao when the accident occurred.
The ambulance driver, Leo Jaruba, 62, a resident of Barangay Talaban, Himamaylan City, was en route to Bacolod City with a patient.
Police Lieutenant Allen Grace Loreno of Himamaylan City Police Station stated that Vallar was blinded by the ambulance’s headlights and miscalculated its distance.
Loreno added that Vallar had attempted to step back to avoid the vehicle but was struck due to his misjudgment.
Investigations revealed that if Vallar had followed his carabao’s movement, the ambulance might not have hit him.
The impact caused the victim to be thrown a considerable distance.
Although Vallar sustained no visible external injuries, he succumbed to severe head trauma at the hospital.
The ambulance driver was released after reaching an amicable settlement with the victim’s child.