BTN News: A tragic weekend in Tolima has been marked by a series of devastating traffic accidents that claimed the lives of four individuals across the region. The unfortunate incidents unfolded in Ibagué and Alvarado, highlighting the persistent dangers on some of the most trafficked routes in the area. Among the victims is Juan Camilo Vizcaya Castillo, a 29-year-old motorcycle delivery driver whose life was tragically cut short after losing control of his bike on a busy Ibagué avenue. The grim reality of these accidents underscores the growing concerns over road safety in Tolima, particularly during holiday weekends when traffic is at its peak.
The first of these fatal accidents occurred on Sunday morning, August 18, on Avenida Mirolindo with Calle 77 in Ibagué. Juan Camilo Vizcaya Castillo, who was navigating the bustling avenue on his AKT 125 motorcycle, tragically lost control of his vehicle. Preliminary reports suggest that his motorcycle collided head-on with a concrete divider, leading to severe injuries that, despite prompt medical attention, proved fatal. Vizcaya Castillo, a dedicated delivery driver, had his life abruptly ended in what has become an all-too-common occurrence on this heavily trafficked road.
The second deadly accident took place on the notorious Ibagué-Alvarado route, a stretch of road increasingly recognized for its high accident rates. This incident involved a collision between a tractor-trailer and a Toyota SUV with the license plate BNZ 347. The impact was so severe that the driver of the SUV was killed instantly. Authorities, including Miguel Bermúdez, the operational director of the Tolima Department of Transit, have reiterated the need for heightened caution on this dangerous road, which sees a constant flow of large trucks, buses, and personal vehicles. The crash caused significant disruption, with police controlling traffic and allowing passage on only one lane for several hours.
A third tragic event occurred later that same day, also on the Ibagué-Alvarado road. In this accident, a Mazda 323 car collided with an inter-municipal bus, leading to another fatality. The driver of the Mazda, who has yet to be identified, was trapped in the wreckage and succumbed to his injuries shortly after the crash. Passengers on the bus sustained various injuries and were quickly transported to nearby hospitals for treatment. Witnesses to the crash described the horrifying scene, where the force of the collision left the Mazda’s driver helplessly pinned inside the twisted metal.
Adding to the grim toll, the weekend’s string of accidents began on Saturday, August 17, when 19-year-old Kevin Armando Clavijo lost his life in a crash near Picaleña, at the exit of Ibagué toward Bogotá. Clavijo, who was riding his motorcycle, collided with the back of a cargo truck, suffering critical injuries that led to his death. The circumstances of this accident are still under investigation by local authorities.
These tragic accidents serve as a stark reminder of the dangers that persist on Tolima’s roads, particularly during busy holiday weekends. The high frequency of traffic collisions on routes like the Ibagué-Alvarado road demands urgent attention from both drivers and authorities to prevent further loss of life. The families of the victims are now left grappling with the sudden loss of their loved ones, while the broader community mourns the lives cut short by these preventable tragedies.
