RUMA — A devastating collision on a national highway near Ruma on Monday morning, July 13, 2026 claimed the lives of three family members—including two young children—and left nine others seriously injured after a speeding SUV rammed into a stationary truck.

The accident occurred at approximately 7:30 AM when a Mahindra Scorpio carrying twelve passengers lost control and slammed violently into the rear of a broken-down commercial truck parked on the shoulder of the highway.

According to highway patrol officials, the family was traveling toward a nearby city for a relative's wedding when the tragedy struck. The impact was so severe that the front half of the SUV was completely crushed beneath the flatbed of the stationary truck.

Emergency response teams and local residents rushed to the scene to pull victims from the mangled wreckage. Tragically, a 34-year-old man and two children—a 6-year-old boy and an 8-year-old girl—sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.

The remaining nine passengers, who suffered severe polytrauma, fractures, and critical head injuries, were stabilized at the scene before being rushed to the district trauma center. Hospital officials confirm that four of the injured remain in critical condition in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Preliminary reports suggest that poor visibility due to early morning mist, combined with the truck driver's failure to place mandatory hazard cones or warning signals behind the stalled vehicle, heavily contributed to the crash.

The driver of the stationary truck reportedly fled the scene immediately following the accident. Local law enforcement has filed a formal case of negligence causing death and has launched a manhunt to apprehend him.

Highway authorities have issued a stern reminder to commercial drivers regarding the strict penalties for parking disabled vehicles on national highways without proper emergency indicators.

Following this tragedy, local community leaders and road safety advocates have intensified their calls for stricter enforcement of highway safety regulations, particularly regarding the prompt removal of broken-down commercial vehicles. Demands are growing for highway patrol’s to increase their early morning surveillance during high-mist seasons to prevent similar blind-spot collisions. Meanwhile, a fund has been set up by local residents to support the surviving family members as they face extensive medical treatments and mourn the sudden loss of their loved ones.