TAWAU: A religious teacher was killed in a four-vehicle accident at KM53 Jalan Tawau-Kunak on Tuesday.
Preliminary investigations indicated the accident occurred around 12:30 p.m. when a 39-year-old man driving a double cabin four-wheel drive (4WD) from Batu 3, Jalan Apas, toward Kunak Town allegedly lost control of his vehicle at KM53.
The truck veered into the opposite lane, colliding with three oncoming vehicles traveling from Kunak. The sequence of collisions began with the 4WD striking the right-side mirror of a lorry driven by a 21-year-old man.
It then sideswiped another 4WD, driven by a 44-year-old man, before crashing head-on into a Multipurpose Vehicle (MPV).
The MPV driven by the religious teacher, aged 30, was flung into a roadside ditch. Firemen were called to extricate the victim, who was pronounced dead at the scene by medical officers. Other drivers involved in the crash escaped unharmed.
Police launched an investigation under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, for causing death by reckless or dangerous driving, OCPD ACP Jasmin Hussin disclosed.
In an unrelated case, a video uploaded on social media showing a motorcyclist’s attempt to evade a police inspection at the Mile 4 Jalan Apas roundabout, ended with his arrest.
The incident occurred about 7.50 am on April 28, while two traffic policemen from the Tawau District Police Headquarters were conducting routine point duty to manage traffic flow.
The two personnel reportedly noticed a motorcyclist acting suspiciously after he stopped near the checkpoint. As they approached to conduct an inspection, the rider panicked, suddenly accelerated, and fled the scene, causing one of the officers to fall.
A video of the incident, uploaded to social media on April 29 at 10.23 am sparked widespread attention. Following an investigation, police identified the 28-year-old motorcyclist and issued four traffic summonses against him for multiple traffic violations.
ACP Jasmin said the offences were expired road tax and no vehicle insurance coverage, no side mirrors, not fastening safety helmet and modifying motorcycle illegally. – James Leong
