By ALEXANDRIA SAN JUAN
A 39-year-old businessman drove his white Nissan Patrol into a UV Express vehicle and tried to flee, hitting another vehicle and a motorcycle before he was finally stopped after an almost two-kilometer chase.
The incident resulted in a monstrous traffic jam along Commonwealth Avenue Tuesday night and the arrest of the suspect, Niño San Gabriel, who allegedly admitted to having drunk too many.
Police said San Gabriel, married and a resident of Barangay Holy Spirit in Quezon City, hit the UV Express driven by Benjamin dela Cruz Jr. in the north-bound lane in front of Diliman Preparatory School at around 9:30 p.m.
Instead of stopping, San Gabriel allegedly tried to flee the scene, prompting Dela Cruz to give chase and block the path of the suspect’s car with plate number NOY 330.
To his horror, Dela Cruz said San Gabriel hit the UV Express several times before speeding off.
Fortunately, there were no passengers inside the public vehicle.
Meanwhile, police officers, manning the area, and Richard Venturina, a motorcycle rider, noticed the commotion and tried to stop San Gabriel.
The suspect crashed his vehicle into Venturina’s motorcycle and sped away, this time being chased by Gaius Oliver, a 25-year-old rescue volunteer.
Oliver became another victim of San Gabriel’s road rage, his car being sideswiped by the runaway Patrol.
The police mobile, with PO1 Alvin Tarectecan and PO1 Dexter Tomi aboard, finally caught up with San Gabriel along Holy Spirit Drive.
The suspect was forced to stop after policemen fired shots at the vehicle tires.
San Gabriel refused to get out of his vehicle, forcing policemen to destroy the driver’s window to get hold of the suspect.
Tomi said the suspect admitted that he was drunk and did not know what happened.
Superintendent Rossel Cejas, station commander of the Batasan police station, said San Gabriel will be subjected to paraffin test to determine if he had fired a gun.
Two handguns, one unlicensed, and a spent shell were recovered inside the suspect’s vehicle.
San Gabriel will face multiple charges, including resisting arrest and disobedience, grave threat, illegal possession of firearms, driving under the influence and reckless imprudence resulting in multiple damages to property.