Removal of crash truck queried

A RETIRED army commander for the Igam area, Peter Aimos, has queried why a company vehicle involved in a fatal road crash was removed from the scene.
This may prevent police from carrying out a proper investigation into the crash outside Lae city on Friday, he said.
Police claimed the driver of the Hornibrooks PNG Ltd truck “was talking on his mobile phone” when the crash occurred.
Acting Lae Met Supt Insp Timothy Pomoso alleged the driver was on his phone “when he lost control of his vehicle and crossed over to the other lane and bumped into the PMV bus”.
The accident resulted in three deaths and injuries to several others.
“Our initial investigation is that the Hornibrook driver was at fault because he was talking on his
phone when he was driving,” Pomoso said.
“He was also speeding so when he realised that he was hitting the cement pavement, it was too late to turn the vehicle so he collided with the bus.”
Aimos lost his daughter, Dorothy Misikaram, pictured, a construction engineer with Hornibrooks in the accident. She and others were on board when it collided with a Dogs Pawa 25-seater PMV bus heading for the Miles areas.
Aimos said: “I’m not sure about the cause of the accident that resulted in my daughter’s pain and agony.
“As soon as I received the phone call, I was interested to see how the accident occurred so I drove immediately to the accident site and I found that the Hornibrooks truck on which my daughter was travelling and involved in the accident wasn’t there.”
Aimos said vehicles using government roads were subject to investigations soon after involvement in any road accident.
“Once you are involved in any road accident, your vehicle immediately becomes State property subjected to investigation by police to identify the cause” he said.
He said civilians were prevented from touching any part or object involved in accident until police and motor traffic authority completed investigations.
Morobe Land Transport Authority chief executive Joshua Mais said any road accident involving motor vehicles were immediately subject to investigations.
“Therefore, vehicle owners are prevented from removing his or her vehicle to allow police investigations to be completed, otherwise police can charge such people (vehicle owners) for disregard and disrespect and obstructing or preventing police investigations,” Mais said.
Mais said only a police investigation report could ensure vehicle owners were able to claim motor vehicle insurance and compensation for injured passengers.
Meanwhile, representatives of the PMV bus involved in the accident have called on the media to report fairly on the accident.
The representatives requested anonymity but said: “People are blaming the PMV bus for causing the accident, but that is not true.”
“The bus drove in its lane,” one of them said.