A vehicle tumbled 30 metres off a highway and damaged the porch of a house leaving one of the vehicle’s occupants dead on Wednesday night in Ba.

It is understood the accident happened following a drinking spree and has left a family mourning a son who was the person behind their vegetable farming business.

The deceased is Ashneel Kumar, 29, of Varoko Cemetery Road in Ba.

Police spokesperson, Ana Naisoro said the driver of the vehicle, who had arrived from Australia on the same day, fled the scene soon after the accident, but was arrested at his home in Nailaga yesterday morning after an all-night search by Ba Police.

Ms Naisoro said two women, aged 22 and 19, were taken to the hospital by bystanders, where Mr Kumar was pronounced dead on arrival.

The deceased’s father, Jagdish Kumar, still reeling from the death of his second eldest son said he and his son went to the Lautoka Market early Wednesday to sell vegetables.

The two went back to Ba where his son got off in town and returned home around 2pm with his friend from Australia.

“He kept asking Ashneel for them to have a party and after a while they left,” Mr Kumar said.

At around 7pm they noticed the vehicle near the Varoko Cemetery and after an hour it left.

Mr Kumar said a family member called him around 9pm to tell him his son was in an accident. Upon arrival at the hospital he was given the bad news by Police officers.

“He was a hardworking person and was liked by his neighbours here at Varoko.”

He was married, but his wife died a couple of years ago.

“What person leaves his friend to die in a car and runs away?” sobbed mother, Anila Devi.

“That is not how a friend behaves – picks you up to have a party and leaves you dying in a car and runs away.”

House owner, Lekima Tukai, 43, said his son Joeli Bale, 15, was sitting on the porch a few minutes earlier doing his homework.

“I called him in and we were about to start our nightly devotion. I heard the screeching of tyres as I was sitting by the front entrance.

“I looked up and saw the lights of the vehicle, before it hit a white post on the side of road and tumbled several times down and the next thing it crashed into our porch in front of me,” he said.

Mr Tukai said a woman sitting in the back seat with the deceased was hurled out of the vehicle before it reached the porch.

“The driver climbed out and fled and the deceased and the other woman in the front seat were brought out by Police officers who arrived soon after.”

Ms Naisoro said the fact that the vehicle allegedly tumbled several times before landing on the front porch of the home was likely because of speeding.

However this would be determined by investigators.

“We are once again requesting all road users to be cautious and be mindful of the need to be safe at all times,” Ms Naisoro said.

The current road death toll stands at five compared to five for the same period last year.

Edited by Maraia Vula

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