One person has been confirmed dead while two others were critically injured in a car crash that occurred at Ejiofor Street, New Layout in Abakaliki.
An eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the accident occurred at about 11.00 pm on Thursday.
He said that the accident occurred when the driver of a Tundra Jeep skidded off the road and crashed into a parked Lexus Jeep with Reg. number FKJ654DM before it rammed into a restaurant located in a residential building.
According to the eye witness, the driver was allegedly drunk and was negotiating a bend in high speed when he lost control of the vehicle.
“The driver was very drunk and he was coming in top speed while trying to negotiate the bend when he lost control of the steering and the next thing we heard was a horrifying bang.
“He smashed into a Lexus Jeep which was parked by the road side before ramming into the restaurant next to our building where people were drinking.
“Some children were lying outside to receive air close to the restaurant because of the hot weather and the tragedy would have been worse if it had not hit the jeep,” it said.
The witness said the deceased was relaxing with other neighbours at the restaurant when the tragedy occurred.
Another witness, Mrs Anthonia Igwe, blamed the accident on drunk driving, adding that the tragedy would have been averted if the driver was not heavily drunk and speeding excessively.
“We saw the driver after the accident and he was tipsy and smelling of alcohol. No normal driver will try to negotiate this bend with the excessive speed.
“The action has caused the life of our neighbour and the wife is now a widow.
“We are not sure of the possibility of survival of the other two who are seriously injured,” Igwe lamented.
Mr Charles Abuochi , the Federal Road Safety Corps Sector Commander in Ebonyi, said the command was yet to get information on the incident.
Abuochi told NAN that the corps would send its men to the scene of the accident before briefing the press.
“We are just getting the information from you and I can assure you that our men are going to be dispatched to the scene of the accident to get first hand information on the cause of the crash,” he said.
Mr George Okafor, the Police Public Relations Officer in Ebonyi, confirmed the crash and said that the Police had commenced investigation into the crash to ascertain the cause.
“The accident involved a Tundra Jeep and it occurred in the late hours of yesterday (Thursday) at about 11.00 pm.
“One person is confirmed dead and two are critically wounded and are receiving treatment at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki.
“For now our men are still carrying out investigation to ascertain the cause of the accident, but what I can tell you is that the driver lost control of the steering.
“The driver is in our custody and he is cooperating with our men in their investigation,” Okafor said.
NAN
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