A man, identified simply as Baba Dara, his wife and his son, have lost their lives in a crash around Village 49, close to the Onipetesi end of the Sagamu Ore Expressway in Ondo State.

It was gathered that Baba Dara while, conveying his family members in a Sienna bus on Wednesday, was leading two other drivers driving separate vehicles to Abia State for a burial.

While en route to the destination, it was learnt that Baba Dara, who was in front of the other drivers, suddenly attempted to stop to avoid a pothole around Village 49, close to the Onipetesi end of the expressway, and in the process, the driver coming behind rammed into him, causing him to lose control of the vehicle and ran into the road divider.

An eyewitness, who gave his name only as Akindele, said the vehicle Baba Dara was driving tumbled after hitting the road divider, adding that the impact of the crash killed him alongside his wife and child.

Akindele said, “The accident happened around 10am when I was returning from Akure. And the crash killed three members of a family.

“From what I gathered, the accident happened when the man, whom we later got to know as Baba Dara, was conveying his wife, son and a relative in a Sienna bus while two other vehicles were coming behind them. They were all going for burial in Abia State.

“The other drivers drove a Sienna bus carrying pepper and drinks, and a Toyota SUV carrying yam and fruits including Banana, among others. Baba Dara was leading the two drivers behind when he suddenly matched the brake to avoid running a pothole around Village 49 and in the process, the driver driving the other Sienna bus behind him rammed into him and the driver driving the SUV also rammed into the Sienna bus.”

Akindele said the impact of the collision made the first vehicle driven by Baba Dara ram into the road divider and it somersaulted, turned upside down and started dragging on the floor for a short period till it turned back up.

“It was when the car turned back up that we realised that the head of the car had cut off and Baba Dara, his wife and son died on the spot,” the eyewitness said.

Akindele said while other victims who survived the crash were wailing over the tragic development, policemen attached to the Onipetesi Division, stormed the premises for an on-the-spot assessment of the case.

Contacted, the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, Funmi Odunlami, said she would get back to our correspondent but had yet to do so as of the time this report was filed. (Text, excluding headline: The PUNCH)

Update news