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Santo Domingo.- Seven persons died and at least 15 others were injured as a result of an accident caused when a bus slid and overturned at Kilometer 55 of the Santo Domingo-Samana highway.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Gondrez Santana, of the Fire Department in Monte Plata, the accident occured at 3:30 Sunday afternoon when a tire was punctured which made the bus go out of control and roll over on its right side.

The fatal victims were the bus driver Bartolo Montilla Encarnacion, 52, and passengers Atalia Frias Alcala, 60, Martin Gabriel Green, 33, and his daughter Gabriela Green, 13, Julia Bueno Guerrero, 40, and Hilda Elizabeth Ortega Paulino, 13.

The white Toyota Coaster, license number I049266, suffered the accident near the Batey Sabana Larga. Ten of the injured passengers were taken to the Dario Contreras Hospital in East Santo Domingo and 4 were taken to a medical center in Sabana Grande de Boya.

Official reports reveal that this month 14 persons have lost their lives in accidents that happened on the Santo Domingo-Samana highway.

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COMMENTS
12 comment(s)
Written by: chillaxin201 This user is banned, 24 Aug 2009 5:13 PM
From: Dominican Republic, Boycott Dominican Tourism
I have been on the NEW highway, and it's tight, dark and dangerous.
I rather take a small plane flight and or a larger bus just incase...
I don't like those small buses one should try to stay to caribe tours.
Written by: xwill7, 24 Aug 2009 5:20 PM
From: United States, Chicago
Caribe tours are the worst drivers. They play chicken with you and your car. Some bus driver think that they are driving a race car. Most have bad tires, bad brakes, and over loaded with people so it makes the stopping distance longer, and the hot pavement makes the tire pressure build up and blow. What is the big hurry??? Is someone giving birth in Samana? Many people drive too fast and for nothing... everyone still is always late for all events so why rush?
Written by: avi8or55, 24 Aug 2009 7:44 PM
From: United States, Sosua
I agree with you 100% xwill7, those drivers behind the wheel of the Caribe Tour buses should be sent to a professional driving course because they can't drive for S#%T!!! How the people trust their lives to these inexperienced drivers who BUY their licenses is beyond me! They play chicken alot like you say, but trust me, they too will pay some day! I just hope it doesn't happen with a bus full of innocent passengers! I often ask people here what is their freakin rush and they all tell me that they have to stay on schedule...my answer to that is what schedule if they are all dead! C'mon, how can they play with people's lives like that, like the moron that caused the deaths of innocent passengers on the Samana-SD hwy!! This gov't needs to do something with this widespread problem of inexperienced drivers operating these tour buses and GUAGUAS!!!
Written by: glomarexplorer, 24 Aug 2009 9:30 PM
From: United States, Fresh Water Paradise-NY Finger Lakes
Who is the genius who design this road?

This specific spot could be aptly named "dead man curve".

Overn the years, I would expect many casualties at this location.....it is simply not a safe road, particularly when mixed with Presidente, Brugal, Bermudez or Barcelo, not to mention a pretty and hot Dominican woman on the front passenger seat.

All you need is a fool, who bought his license, trying to pass someone on that curve with another vehicle approaching from opposite side; then you would have a high-speed head-on collision with several casualties.

This road needs some revisions to make it safer.

Written by: jose_NYC, 25 Aug 2009 5:07 AM
From: United States
I personally knew one of the victims here, the little 13 years old hilda and i can tell you she was a beautifull person may she rest in peace. My prayers go to her father Junior and her mother Kirsy as well as her grandma and grandpa. TODO EL ENSANCHE QUISQUEYA ESTA DE LUTO POR SU PERDIDA
Written by: xwill7, 25 Aug 2009 9:49 AM
From: United States, Chicago
wait until the pot holes show up on this road in a few years...
Written by: clinker, 25 Aug 2009 9:53 AM
From: Dominican Republic
it is appalling how bad everyone drives here. public transportation loaded with 8 people (carritos) tailgate like there is no tomorrow, to make things worse the riders (the other 7) all act like they have had lobotomies. no concerns, drive like an ass, it's normal here, it doesn't matter in bizarro world.
Written by: winstric, 25 Aug 2009 10:32 AM
From: United States
Sad!!!
Written by: undertaker, 25 Aug 2009 12:27 PM
From: Dominican Republic
Did anybody see the accident the other night on that road which involved a single vehicle? It was an ambulance, completly totalled. Not just buses but you are not even safe in an ambulance.
Do the police here even hand out speeding tickets? Or is this just population control? I have been passed on that road by people doing well over a hundred miles an hour. And in one case i seen that same person on the first curve in head of me on the other side of the guard rail. I ran for help but that very well may have been one of the 19 deaths that have occured on that road. You save 21/2 hours by having the new road and then someone wants to save another fifteen minutes by driving like a fricking idiot. Slow down!
Written by: Yocasta, 25 Aug 2009 4:29 PM
From: United States
My aunt is one of the injured in the accident. The government should so something to improve the quality of this road. How many people have to die and be injured for them to do something. Another thing they should fix is the quality of drivers. Why do people in DR drive like they don't love themselves or their passenagers?
Written by: xwill7, 25 Aug 2009 4:38 PM
From: United States, Chicago
the need the little bumps on the hair pin curves like the ones when you are arriving close to the airport. the vibration will slow them down
Written by: undertaker, 25 Aug 2009 9:20 PM
From: Dominican Republic
xwill7
Thats a great idea, how much would that cost? Compared to the life of a thirteen year old child?
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