One dead, five injured in four-way intersection collision

PONTIAN - A factory worker died after the sports utility vehicle (SUV) he was driving was hit by a car at kilometre 1.1 of Jalan Permas, Tanjung Bin, near here last night.

Pontian district police chief Superintendent Mohammad Shofee Tayib said the incident occurred at 9.10pm and involved a Honda CRV SUV and a Mercedes-Benz car.

According to him, during the incident, the victim, who was driving the CRV with four passengers, was coming from Lorong Haji Sakyon Laut towards Lorong Haji Sakyon Darat, while the Mercedes-Benz, driven by a man was coming from Jalan Tanjung Bin towards Permas.

"Initial investigations found that both the CRV and Mercedes-Benz drivers, when they reached the four-way intersection, did not see any stop signs or stop lines on their respective lanes.

"The CRV was hit on the right side by the Mercedes-Benz, causing both vehicles to enter a knee-deep water-filled ditch on the right side of the road," he said in a statement today.

He said that due to the collision, the driver of the CRV, Vun Tat Shin, 42, from Taman Mutiara Utama, Skudai, Johor Bahru suffered head injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene by a medical officer.

"Four passengers, comprising two men and two women aged 36 to 43, were injured and were sent to Pontian Hospital for treatment.

"The 29-year-old driver of the Mercedes-Benz was also injured and received treatment at Gleneagles Hospital," he said.

Mohammad Shofee added that the case is being investigated under Section 41 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.

Meanwhile, the Pontian Fire and Rescue Department Operations Commander, senior fire officer II Mohd Hasnan Abd Rahman said the accident resulted in the CRV driver being trapped in the driver's seat.

"Eight personnel, assisted by one Fire Rescue Tender (FRT) and one Emergency Medical Rescue Service (EMRS) unit, were dispatched to the scene.

"The fire department used special equipment to disengage the victim, but it was confirmed that he had died at the scene.

“The fire department also provided initial treatment to the injured victims. The operation ended at 11.43pm," he said.