Deaf and dumb man killed in road accident

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FATAL ACCIDENT: The van being towed to Bintangor.

SIBU: A deaf and dumb man was killed in a road accident after he was said to have suddenly grabbed the driver’s steering wheel, causing the van to lose control and plunging into a ditch before overturning several times and landing on its side.

The accident occurred at KM21 Paradom at 2pm yesterday when the man was on his way to Bintangor to meet up with his girlfriend.

According to a source close to the deceased, the deaf and dumb man was identified as Lau Gan Soon, 36, from Wong King Huo Road.

The 50-something van driver, who was behind the wheel at the time, said Lau suddenly held firm to his steering wheel with both of his hands.

“I could not pull back to my path as I have only one hand at the wheel and the other controlling the gear,” the driver, who was a relative of Lau, told reporters at the scene.

The retired man said the vehicle occupied by six people namely – his wife and their two children, Lau and his mother- veered to the roadside and plunged into a ditch.

“The van overturned several times before landing on its side.”

The driver said Lau was pinned by the car door when the vehicle landed on its side.

The body of Lau was sent to the hospital in Bintangor while his mother who was injured lightly was sent to a private hospital in Sibu.

The driver said he and his family members escaped unhurt.