A tragedy struck the department of Cesar after a married couple lost their lives in a serious traffic accident on the afternoon of Friday, March 28. The accident occurred on the Troncal de Oriente highway, specifically in the El Portal neighborhood, within the municipality of El Copey.
The deceased were identified as Luis Dionel Manjarréz Ávila, a native of Fundación, Magdalena, and his wife, Yoleida Espitia, a native of Valledupar. Both were traveling on a motorcycle with license plate ASP-87H when, due to circumstances still under investigation, they were struck by a dump truck, becoming trapped beneath the wheels of the heavy vehicle.
The dramatic scenes of the accident were captured in a video posted on social media. The images show the couple still conscious, crying for help while immobilized.
Witnesses reported that Luis Dionel’s legs were trapped, while Yoleida, with devastating injuries to her lower extremities, managed to grab her cell phone in an attempt to contact someone. The scene caused consternation among those onlookers, who tried to help the desperate couple.
The victims were rushed to San Roque Hospital, where they were transferred to the Sinaís Vitaís clinic in Bosconia due to the severity of their injuries. Despite the efforts of the medical team, Luis Dionel died just after 8:30 p.m., while Yoleida, who remained in critical condition, died the following morning.
Traffic authorities have launched the necessary investigations to determine the exact causes of this unfortunate incident, which has shocked the community and rekindled the debate on road safety in the region.
