Traffic cop run down by car while checking highway crash

Emergency crews in action after two five-vehicle accidents left two dead and a traffic policeman injured. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: A traffic policeman was run down by a car on the North-South Highway this morning while he was about to check on a five-vehicle crash near the southbound Seremban rest stop.

He suffered injuries to his head and limbs, Nilai police said, while a passenger of one of the cars was killed, Bernama reported.

An hour later, another five-vehicle accident took place about a kilometre away. A 33-year-old man was killed and another person was injured.

Nilai district police deputy chief Azrul Hisham Mohd Shaffie said the traffic policeman was injured when he stopped to check on an accident involving a Proton Iswara and four other vehicles.

A Proton Iswara being driven in the middle lane went out of control and hit the rear of a Volkswagen, before swerving to the right lane where it was hit by three other vehicles.

K. Thanesh, 23, a passenger in the Proton Iswara was killed. “The Iswara driver suffered minor injuries but the passenger was seriously injured and pronounced dead at the scene,” said Azrul.

Shortly after the accident, assistant investigating officer Kamarolzaman Isha, 51, responded to an emergency call about the crash.

“Upon arrival, he parked his police car in the emergency lane and alighted to conduct an initial investigation. Suddenly, a Toyota Corolla car from the right lane skidded to the left lane as it attempted to avoid the stalled Proton Iswara and crashed into the traffic policeman at the emergency lane. Kamarolzaman was thrown onto the road and sustained injuries to the head and limbs,” Azrul said.

An hour later, a Jaguar driven by a 35-year-old man skidded and crashed into a row of slow-moving vehicles about a kilometre from the scene of the earlier accident.

“Four other vehicles were involved in the collision which resulted in the death of a Perodua Axia driver, Utan Nuieng, 33, at the scene. A 40-year-old female passenger in the car was seriously injured and is being treated at Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital,” he said.

Slow-moving holiday traffic on highways

Traffic was reported to be heavy and slow moving on most major highways this afternoon because of rain and increased traffic flow of people returning home after the Deepavali long weekend.

A spokesman for PLUS Malaysia said traffic in the north of the Peninsula was slow from Perai to Seberang Jaya, Bandar Cassia to Bukit Tambun (North), Bandar Cassia to Jawi and Bandar Baharu to Jawi.

In the south, traffic was slow from Seremban to Hentian Senawang (South), Ayer Keroh to Jasin, Tangkak to Jasin and Yong Peng (North) to Pagoh.

The Malaysian Highway Authority said traffic volume on Lebuhraya Pantai Timur (LPT) 1 also increased for the Temerloh to Lanchang stretch while that on LPT2 was smooth.

“Traffic was also reported to be congested from Karak Highway to Bukit Tinggi, and from Genting Highlands towards the Gombak toll plaza,” he said, Bernama reported. - FMT