3 dead, 2 injured in car accident in Yilan County

Taipei, Nov. 23 (CNA) A fatal collision between a tractor-trailer and an SUV in Yilan County early Saturday morning has caused three deaths and two injuries.

All the victims, both deceased and injured, were in the SUV, according to the police.

They have ruled out driving under the influence as a cause of the incident, but have detained for questioning the 30-year-old tractor-trailer driver, surnamed Huang (黃), on suspicion of negligent homicide.

The deceased include the SUV driver, a 50-year-old man surnamed Tang (唐), and two backseat passengers: a 39-year-old man surnamed Lin (林) and a 24-year-old woman surnamed Huang (黃).

The two backseat passengers were found without vital signs by Yilan County Fire Bureau personnel when they arrived at the scene after being alerted to the crash at 2:52 a.m. The SUV driver appeared unconscious, and showed no vital signs while being transported to the hospital.

The two injured passengers are being treated at Camillian St. Mary's Hospital Luodong.

They are a 34-year-old woman, surnamed Yin (銀), who was seated in the front passenger seat and suffered a fractured rib, and a 33-year-old man, surnamed Chiu (邱), who sustained a broken left clavicle and pneumothorax.

Chiu regained consciousness after resuscitation and is currently in intensive care.

According to police, the accident occurred at 2 a.m. at the intersection of Sanxing Road and Wujie Central Road in Wujie Township. The eastbound tractor-trailer rammed into the SUV's left side as it was crossing Wujie Central Road.

The accident remains under investigation.