Tránsito Official Killed in
Freak Accident
In
a freak and unexpected accident,
Fernando Berrios Ruiz, an
official of the Policía de
Tránsito, lost his life when a
30 Kilogram (66 pound) rock fell
on his patrol car while parked
on the side of the road of the
Braulio Carrillo highway, 5
kilometres east of the Zurquí
tunnel.
The accident occurred on the
stretch of the highway known as
"death road" that connects San
José to Guapiles and Limón.
The Tránsito official was parked
on the side of the road,
stopping for lunch, when a rock
came lose from mountain wall
above and fell on the roof of
the pick up truck patrol
vehicle.
The impact was with such force
that hit crushed the pickup's
roof and windshield, hitting
Berrios on the head. Berrios was
able to get out of the vehicle,
but moments later fell over on
the pavement and died on the
spot.
Carlos Alvarado, a trucker
trailer who was first on the
scene of the unusual accident,
used the patrol car's radio to
call for help. "At first I
thought he had suffered a hearth
attack, but then I saw the rock
that had fallen on the patrol
car. When I got close I saw that
he had died". Alvarado said.
Fellow Tránsito officials could
not believe what they had before
them, as of theirs had fallen.
The highway was closed, in both
directions, for more than an
hour.
Berrios was remembered by his
fellow workers as an excellent
person and having worked the
Ruta 32 for the large part of
his career with the Policía de
Tránsito.
Adrían Garcia, Berrios'
supervisor said that the
accident was dramatic and only
hours they had been together and
also took the time to make a
call to the higher ups for
patrols to work in groups in
high risk areas like the Ruta
32.
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