Noveleta mishap car driver, owner summoned by LTO

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) announced Friday that it has summoned the driver and registered owner of a sedan that went viral after it injured at least five people in Noveleta, Cavite.

LTO chief Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II said a show cause order (SCO) has been issued to the male owner of the Toyota Vios and the female driver who was operating the vehicle during the road crash.

Mendoza said that the action aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to ensure road safety for all users, under the guidance of Department of Transportation (DoTr) Secretary Vince Dizon.

“We were informed that the female driver lost consciousness as a result of this incident. We want to know what happened, and while the investigation is being conducted, her driver’s license is preventively suspended for 90 days,” Mendoza said.

Initial investigations, prompted by a viral video monitored by the LTO social media team, indicate the Toyota Vios was traveling toward Cavite City when it suddenly accelerated and collided with an oncoming vehicle.

Following the initial impact, the driver reportedly reversed and accelerated again, hitting pedestrians and a light post. The vehicle then proceeded toward Noveleta town proper, where it collided with a parked tricycle.

All injured individuals, including the driver who lost consciousness, were hospitalized for medical treatment.

The SCO, signed by LTO Intelligence and Investigation Division chief Renante Melitante, requires the driver to submit a notarized written explanation as to why her driver’s license should not be revoked for reckless driving and for being an improper person to operate a motor vehicle.

The registered owner is also required to appear with the driver at the LTO Office for investigation as the SCO also mandates the female driver to surrender her driver’s license immediately.

“The driver’s license and the plate number of the vehicle are placed under alarm, preventing any and all transactions while under investigation,” the SCO said.

“Failure to appear and submit the written comments/explanations as required shall be construed by this Office as a waiver of your rights to be heard, and the case shall be decided based on the evidence at hand,” it added.