Senior citizen dies after being hit and dragged by pickup truck while queueing for P20/kilo rice

• A 73-year-old senior citizen was waiting in line for P20-per-kilo rice when tragedy struck
• The victim was hit, dragged, and later died despite being rushed to the hospital
• Another vendor was also injured but survived the incident
• Police have taken custody of the driver as investigation continues

A tragic incident in Quezon City claimed the life of a 73-year-old senior citizen who was waiting in line to buy subsidized rice along Visayas Avenue early Wednesday morning.

According to a report by GMA News Unang Balita, the incident happened before 4 a.m. outside the Bureau of Animal Industry office, where several people had already gathered to avail of the P20-per-kilo rice program.

Witnesses said the victim was seated along the sidewalk when a pickup truck suddenly struck him. The impact caused him to be dragged several meters, leaving him critically injured. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but later died due to severe injuries.

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A witness described the violent impact of the collision.

“Mabilis ‘yung sasakyan. Tapos sumadsad siya rito. Nahagip ‘yung tao. Tapos paghagip niya, tumalsik ‘yung tao, gumaniyan (dumiretso), doon niya talaga ibinangga sa poste na iyon. Dalawa ang paa niya nadurog tapos ‘yung kamay durog din. Maraming sugat sa noo,” says Marietta Sumagang.

Another person injured in the incident, 51-year-old vendor Richard Nadura, sustained wounds on his right arm but survived. He said he was lucky to have pushed his pushcart away just in time.

“Paglingon ko ulit, nasa akin na kaya ‘yan may tama. Dito (balikat) tinamaan ako. Kung hindi ko naitulak ‘yung sidecar ko, ‘yung paninda ko, baka pati ako nasapul. Nagpapasalamat din ako dahil ikalawang buhay ko na ‘to,” Nadura said.

Police investigators said the pickup first hit the elderly victim before swerving onto the sidewalk, hitting the vendor, and crashing into a traffic sign. The vehicle sustained heavy damage on its front right side due to the impact.

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The 47-year-old driver, who was reportedly heading home from work at the time, is now in police custody while authorities continue their investigation. Officials are also coordinating with the family of the victim, a resident of Barangay Batasan Hills.

In a separate incident, authorities in Zamboanga City were called in after a large python was discovered inside a parked vehicle, prompting an unusual emergency response. Personnel from the Bureau of Fire Protection carefully handled and removed the roughly 10-foot snake, with footage of the operation later released and quickly circulating online due to the rare and alarming situation.

Meanwhile, conservation efforts in Aurora highlighted a positive development in wildlife protection after officials successfully released a Northern Luzon giant cloud rat back into its natural environment. The species, which is endemic to the region, is considered uncommon and is recognized for its role in supporting forest ecosystems and biodiversity.

Authorities continue to remind the public to stay alert in different situations, from unexpected wildlife encounters to broader environmental concerns. They also emphasized ongoing efforts to balance community safety with the protection of native species and natural habitats. Conservation teams, for their part, continue to stress the importance of responsible human interaction with wildlife and the need to safeguard ecosystems to help preserve endangered and rare species for future generations.

Source: KAMI.com.gh