Three members of a family and their neighbor died at 3:10 a.m. Saturday when the Suzuki multi-cab vehicle they were riding collided head-on with a cargo truck along the national highway of Brgy. 9 in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, police reports said yesterday.

SPO1 Walter Seron, Kabankalan PNP Desk Officer, said three of the four victims were declared dead on arrival at the city hospital.

Seron identified them as Romeo Arroz, 54, driver of the multi-cab vehicle, Carolina Arroz, 62 and Melinda Lustro, 58. Kharel Arroz, 22, died while on the way to a hospital in Bacolod City.

He said he believes Romeo may have dozed off behind the wheel, not knowing that he was already occupying the lane of the cargo truck driven by Melvin Guimaras, running in the opposite direction.

Seron said the truck also fell into a canal, as the driver attempted to avoid the collision.

Investigations by the Kabankalan police showed that the Arroz family came from Cebu, via Dumaguete City, and were on their way home to celebrate the graduation of Kharel as a pilot, when the accident took place.

The multi-cab vehicle was a total wreck, Seron said.

Guimaras who surrendered immediately to the Kabankalan City Police Station, is now detained at the police lock-up cell.*GPB

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