The damaged Toyota Fortuner at the scene.
SIBU (March 31): Sabah State Court director Marutin Pagan, 56, was killed in an accident involving two sports utility vehicles (SUV) at the Kanowit roundabout in Jalan Kanowit/Julau/Durin here yesterday.
Sibu police chief ACP Zulkipli Suhaili, in a statement, said the deceased, who sustained severe head injuries after being flung out of the vehicle, was pronounced dead at the scene.
He said the Sibu Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Division received a report regarding an accident involving the two SUVs at about 1.59pm.
“The victim was travelling with four others in an SUV driven by a 28-year-old woman.
“Investigation at the scene found that the SUV was heading to Sibu from Kanowit and upon arriving at the scene at the roundabout, it was hit by another SUV.
“The collision caused the SUV to overturn, and one of its passengers, aged 56 was thrown out of the vehicle and was confirmed dead at the scene due to severe head injuries,” Zulkipli said.
He added that the driver of the other SUV did not suffer any injuries, while four other passengers of the first SUV suffered minor injuries and received treatment at the Kanowit Hospital.
Zulkipli noted that the impact of the accident caused severe damage to the first SUV, while the other SUV suffered damage to its front.
The case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
Meanwhile, Marutin who hailed from Machan, Kanowit was also a former Sessions Court judge in Sibu, Bintulu and Kuching.