JustUpdateOnline.com – Surabaya, A tragic traffic collision fueled by excessive alcohol consumption resulted in a fatality in the heart of Surabaya early Sunday morning. A 32-year-old woman, identified by the initials ENR (also known as Erica), is currently in police custody after her reckless driving led to a deadly sequence of events near the city’s central landmarks.
The incident occurred at approximately 3:30 AM on August 23. Erica, operating a Mitsubishi Outlander alone, was traveling northbound near Jalan Taman Hapsari. Investigations by the Surabaya Metropolitan Police revealed that the driver had spent the night at a local entertainment venue, where she reportedly consumed seven glasses of alcoholic beverages. This high level of intoxication caused her to lose control while navigating a left turn, leading her to strike a parked electric taxi.
Rather than stopping to address the initial collision, the suspect sped away toward Jalan Gubernur Suryo. She later confessed to investigators that she was gripped by panic and feared a confrontation with local residents. This attempt to flee the scene proved catastrophic; as she drove past the Surabaya Square (Alun-alun), her vehicle violently struck a 25-year-old man, RPK, who was busy loading items into his parked pickup truck. The victim succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
Traffic Police Chief AKBP Galih Bayu Raditya confirmed that the suspect’s state of intoxication was the primary catalyst for the tragedy. Breathalyzer tests conducted by the authorities indicated that the driver’s blood alcohol level reached 1.06 percent. Witnesses at the scene noted that Erica appeared agitated and confrontational immediately following the crash, a behavior she later attributed to her impaired state.
"I was not fully aware of my actions because of the alcohol," the suspect stated while in custody, expressing deep shame and remorse for the loss of life. She also offered a formal apology to the family of the deceased victim.
In addition to the charges related to the fatal accident and driving under the influence, police discovered that Erica was operating the vehicle without a valid driver’s license (SIM) or vehicle registration (STNK). She has been officially named a suspect and remains in detention as the legal process continues. Authorities emphasized that human error and gross negligence were the sole causes of this preventable tragedy.
