2 dead, 5 injured in head-on crashes

Panama’s Public Ministry (MP)    has opened an investigation into a  traffic accident on the Bridge of the Americas on Saturday night, May  5 in which a 28-year-old woman died and two people were injured including a small child.

The senior prosecutor, Rafael Baloyes, in charge of the investigations, has asked witnesses to the accident to contact the Homicide Section of the Metropolitan Prosecutor’s Office at 507-2966.

The young woman and the child were traveling in a sedan vehicle when a 4×4 heading for the city crossed into their lane leading to a head-on collision, according to preliminary versions. The driver of the 4×4 vehicle was also injured and taken to Hospital Santo Tomas.

The child is stable in Hospital del Nino says the Public Ministry.

A  similar accident in Colón.  on  Friday night led to the death of  one person  and injuries to three  including  an 11-months-old infant

A pickup heading into the city crossed into the opposite lane in  Gatuncillo Norte, Buena Vista.

and hit a taxi. The taxi driver died on the spot and Fire Department rescue teams had to pry the driver a man, 45, and, a woman 42, from the wreckage of the pickup.

Both incidents led to long traffic delays, with drivers heading for the Bridge of the  Americas diverted to Centennial Bridge.

The two deaths brought the year’s highway toll past 120. With over 400 injuries and over  125 reported traffic accidents daily.