Tragedy struck as Truck fleeing the police, crushes two lecturers, a wife and their three children to death

It was a tragic weekend as two lecturers of University of Mkar, were among seven persons that lost their lives as a result of a car accident, at Gbatse community along Ugbema-Adikpo Road in the Ushongo Local Government Area of Benue State.

It was reported that the incident happened on Saturday, October 10,2020, around 5pm, when a truck crushed a Toyota Camry car with number plate, MKD 300 NH, in which the victims were occupants.

According to an eyewitness, the truck was conveying a car and the driver allegedly wanted to escape from a police checkpoint when he rammed into the waiting car, killing all the occupants.

Some documents recovered from the scene of the Road accident, identified the lecturers as Mr Josua Leva of Mass Communication Department, and Moses Tarnongo, who along his wife and children died in the accident.

“The truck ran over the stationary car, crushing it with its occupants. It took the intervention of the police, the Road Safety personnel and other spirited individuals close to four hours to pull the ill-fated car and the remains of the victims which included women and children, from under the truck,” he said.

Among the first callers at the scene of the accident was the Ushongo Local Government Council Chairman, Mr Joseph Asawa who aborted a public function to rush to the scene to help in the rescue operation. He also directed bodies of the victims be deposited at a private hospital in Lessel town.

Meanwhile, Governor Samuel Ortom has commiserated with the families of those who lost loved ones in the ghastly auto crash. The Governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase described the incident as devastating and urged relevant agencies to investigate the unfortunate development.

Part of the statement read, “Governor Samuel Ortom sends heartfelt condolences to families of those who lost their lives when a truck crushed a stationary vehicle with all of its occupants yesterday at Gbatse in Ushongo Local Government Area of Benue State. “The Governor’s sympathies also go to the management, staff and students of University of Mkar who lost two of their lecturers in the accident – Joseph Leva and Moses Tarnongo who died alongside his wife and three children.