A 15-year-old boy was crushed to death after a heavy truck loaded with metal scraps overturned in Torit town in Eastern Equatoria State on Sunday, according to the police.
Second Lieutenant Adam Satiro Emmanuel, Crime Officer at Torit Traffic Police said the victim, John Okulang, a pupil of Hileu Orphanage school, was killed in the car crash at around 12 PM.
Lieutenant Satiro said the heavy truck overturned while reversing to dodge potholes in the Hai Carton area.
According to him, the incident was indirectly caused by bad roads and the absence of an assistant driver to direct the vehicle packing.
He however says further investigation has been launched to ascertain more details.
“A heavy truck loaded with metallic scraps, tried to dodge potholes but the vehicle ended up coming backward, yet there were three teenagers passing behind the vehicle, one was on the right and two were on the left side of the road,” he narrated.
“So, the heavy truck overturned killing one teenager instantly, but the other two teenagers escaped. The deceased is identified as John Okulang a 15-year-old boy. Lotuho by tribe residing within Hai-Carton here. Schooling at Hileu Orphanage School.”
Mr. Satiro said such gruesome incidents are rare in the state. But he advises heavy truck drivers to hire assistant drivers or conductors and be vigilant about pedestrians.
“They (driver) should be very vigilant while driving in the narrow space of the road. Especially these heavy trucks, they need to have someone directing them from behind while reversing.”