By Dayo Johnson, Akure

AT least five persons reportedly died in an auto crash at Agbabu junction on Ore-Okitipupa road in the Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, at the  weekend.

One of the drivers of the vehicles involved in the crash,  according to police sources, was drinking alcohol while driving before the incident which claimed the lives of the passengers occurred.

He reportedly escaped death and fled the scene after the crash.

Several others were seriously injured in the crash which eyewitnesses said   happened

at about 6.30pm on Friday.

Eyewitnesses attributed the crash to a head-on-collision between a Toyota Previa bus, marked Lagos MT 138KJA, and a Toyota Avensis car ,with regiatration number Ondo BDR 599.

Ondo State Police lmage Maker, Femi Joseph, who confirmed the crash said that “five people died in the accident, three females and two males.

“From the information we got from one of the survivors, it was the driver of the Privia Bus, known as Daniel, that caused the accident as he left his lane to collide with the other vehicle coming from the Okitipupa.

“ We were told that the driver was drinking achohol while he was driving so he mistakenly swerved to the other lane to collide with the car and immediately the accident occured, he ran away. We are still looking for him.”

Contacted, the Head of Operation of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Ogungbemile,  confirmed only three casualties.

Ogungbemile told Sunday Vanguard that the crash was ocassioned by a head-on-collision of two vehicles.

Meanwhile, the remains of the deceased persons have been deposited at the Ore General Hospital.