A senior police officer was killed on Monday evening in a horrific nine-vehicle road accident at Karai area along the Nairobi–Nakuru Highway in Naivasha.
Police said their colleague, Senior Superintendent and the County Criminal Investigations Officer (CCIO) for Nyandarua county John Riobac who was driving an Isuzu D-Max died when the crash occurred at about 4.50 pm.
Witnesses said the accident occurred when a Sinotruk truck travelling from Nairobi towards Nakuru, reportedly lost control and rammed into a Toyota Land Cruiser that was heading in the same direction.
The impact caused the Land Cruiser to veer off its lane and collide with seven other vehicles travelling in the opposite direction.
The chain-reaction crash involved nine vehicles, including lorries, matatus, private cars and the police officer’s vehicle.
Rioba sustained serious injuries and was rushed to Naivasha Sub-County Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
A Ceska pistol loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition, which was in his possession, was recovered from members of the public by a police officer who was at the scene.
Among those injured was Regina Chumba, a Member of the County Assembly (MCA) from Uasin Gishu county, who complained of chest pains and was taken to hospital for treatment.
Two foreign nationals of European origin who were passengers in the Land Cruiser sustained minor injuries.
The driver of the Sinotruk truck fled the scene
immediately after the accident and is being sought by authorities, police said
on Tuesday.
All the vehicles involved were extensively damaged and have been towed to Naivasha Police Station pending inspection as investigations into the cause of the crash continue.
Police officers visited the scene and coordinated rescue efforts as victims were taken to hospital for treatment.
A team of police is investigating the accident. This is the latest fatal accident to happen amid efforts to address the trend.
On Monday night, police said four people were killed in separate road accidents.
The victims included three riders and a driver. The accidents also left 12 people
with serious injuries and included four riders, two drivers, two passengers, two
pedestrians and two pillion passengers.
Fatal accidents have been on the rise in the country amid a campaign to address the trend.
More than 4,000 people are annually killed in separate accidents in the country, statistics show. Thousands other people are left with serious injuries which has a negative impact on families and friends at large
Officials have been running campaigns to address the menace. Officials say the leading causes of fatal crashes included hit-and-runs, tyre bursts, and vehicles and motorcycles losing control. Also overtaking improperly and failing to keep the proper lane resulting in head-on collisions are mentioned as causes of the accidents.
