The young university student Laura Sofía Parra Ibáñez died due to the seriousness of her head injuries, after falling from a moving bus affiliated with Autobuses, in Neiva. The public transport company called the driver to dismiss. Mobility Secretariat denounced that the vehicle was moved by the driver at the suggestion of a person from the ambulance service that attended the accident.
Raphael Rodriguez C.
rafael@lanacion.com.co
“Here the irresponsibility of the driver has been evident…”, was the forceful affirmation of the Secretary of Mobility of Neiva, Luisa Fernanda Robles, about the responsibility of the driver of the collective public service vehicle, from which the young university student Laura Sofía Parra Ibáñez fell , who died due to the seriousness of his injuries.
The death of Laura Sofía, who was in the third semester of psychology at the Surcolombiana University, occurred yesterday around noon, after five days of fighting to stay alive. “Unfortunately, the impact on her health was critical…”, said Juan Carlos González García, manager of Autobuses, the company to which the vehicle from which the young woman fell is affiliated.
The businessman, in dialogue with LA NACIÓN, stated that from the first moment of the accident, which occurred in Carrera Séptima with Calle Cuarta, in the capital of Huila, the company was attentive to the medical service provided to the 22-year-old girl. old. We have been very attentive in supplying everything pertinent to hospital care. Unfortunately, Laura Sofía passed away.
Driver and bus ‘stopped’
González García pointed out that once the company learned of the accident, it ordered the driver to get off the bus and stop the routes that the vehicle had scheduled. “From the moment the accident originated, the vehicle has been immobilized, it has not been dispatched again and the driver has not driven again.”
He argued that the driver, 24 years old and with six years of experience in driving public transport, has already filed the defense before the Disciplinary Committee of the company, made up of the legal and operational areas, which will make decisions in the coming days. “Yesterday (Tuesday) he rendered some disclaimers and the legal area considered requesting an extension to the disclaimers and tomorrow (today) the deadline for him to extend them expires.”
While the transport company carries out the disciplinary investigation, the Neiva Mobility Secretariat began its work, verifying the documentation not only of the company but of the vehicle involved in the accident and of the driver himself. “We have made progress in some internal situations, we have received the audit from the Ministry of Mobility, they requested all the documentation of the vehicle, the driver’s resume, the hiring of the driver, the exams.”
González García is also aware that now the Prosecutor’s Office will assume the investigation for manslaughter against the driver of the bus. “With the death of the passenger, in a very unfortunate accident, the Prosecutor’s Office will surely come.”
He indicated that the company will provide psychological counseling to the young driver, who is in shock at what happened and was aware of Laura Sofía’s health. “He has been very saddened, he was at the Emcosalud Clinic until three in the morning on Saturday, the surgery began around 9 at night on Friday, in the company of Laura Sofía’s family, he appropriated the subject. He has been affected psychologically, we are going to provide support for him, for his family ”.
“They removed the vehicle so as not to be immobilized”
The absence of the bus driver at the scene of the accident caused the criminalistics units of the Neiva Mobility Secretariat to conduct inquiries with the people who were at the scene.
“We collected evidence, testimonies where the residents of the sector reported the situation that arose, indicating when he was going to make the turn (the bus) to take fourth street, this person falls abruptly due to the speed of the vehicle,” he said. the Secretary of Mobility, Luis Fernanda Robles.
He added that what happened was “an irresponsible act on the part of the driver for not being careful when he closed the door when driving the vehicle.”
The official also made a serious complaint, pointing out that a person from the ambulance service who came to help the young woman suggested that the driver move the bus to avoid its immobilization, which meant that the accident sketch could not be drawn.
“We have information from some testimonies, including passengers who began to get out of the vehicle, who, due to the guidance of a person who was part of the ambulance service, directed the driver to remove the vehicle so that when the (criminal) unit arrives, it could not be immobilized”, said the Secretary of Mobility.
One of the fundamental pieces of evidence of the accident, in addition to the testimonies of the passengers, is the video from a security camera that shows the moment that Laura Sofía along with two companions take the bus service and seconds later when she is expelled vehicle. “Here the irresponsibility of the driver has been evident, it would be a mistake for the company to start taking measures against these drivers who do not abide by the rules…”, indicated the official.
The head of the mobility unit maintained that in 2022 there were 47 road accidents, in which public service vehicles were compromised, the most recurring causes being to pick up and drop off passengers in prohibited places, the high speeds they carry in the vehicles and not respecting traffic lights.
“We mourn the death”
The Bus manager mourned the death of young Laura Sofía and expressed his solidarity with her family. “The company expresses its most sincere condolences to the relatives of Laura Sofía Parra, who passed away today (yesterday), whom we accompany in her pain in these difficult times, peace in her grave.”
The directors of the Rafael Pombo school, where the young woman finished her high school studies, through the Facebook social network, expressed their sorrow for the death of their former student. “Today the Pomboriana family is in mourning, a deep sadness surrounds us for the departure of one of our graduates, Laura Sofía Parra Ibáñez. We were fortunate to see her smile, learn, share and enjoy in our classrooms, which is why today our family mourns the death of a daughter of the house…”.
In addition, they expressed their solidarity with the young woman’s family. “As Pomborians, students, teachers and directors, we join the pain of the Parra family, from our hearts, we send you a hug, that God can embrace your hearts, strengthen the spirit of each one of you, that the mantle of his presence covers them so that this journey through the desert becomes an oasis in the midst of such a lamentable situation”.
The Surcolombiana University also expressed its solidarity with the family of Laura Sofía and through the social network stated “We regret the death of our student Laura Sofía Parra Ibáñez from the Psychology program (Third Semester)… The Head of the Psychology Program and the team of University Welfare have been attentive to the situation and accompanied his family.
