Thank heavens 32-year-old Joey Luna, an IT consultant at ANSA East Asia and the Pacific, strapped on his seatbelt as he went up the Skyway ramp one Friday morning. Traffic was relatively light and Luna’s Mazda 2 cruised smoothly until he saw something – a Toyota Altis speeding at 100km/h and it was headed straight at him! Horrified but acting on his instincts, Luna swerved to the right to avoid the incoming vehicle. Despite driving at the wrong lane, the Altis didn’t show any signs of slowing down. Luna’s car still got hit on the driver’s side and the impact caused it to spin and ram into the Skyway barriers. Luna’s seatbelt saved him from sustaining serious injuries.
That’s only half of the story though. Even more interesting: the wrong-way driver was driving under the influence at 10am. Paul Joseph Deslate, 30, showed no remorse nor resistance when approached by Skyway traffic officers. Deslate claimed to be depressed because of domestic problems compounded by a spat with his girlfriend. Does it sound like a death wish? Yes; and he didn’t have insurance either. Since the new DUI law has yet to be enforced, Deslate walks free. Hopefully, he doesn’t pull another stunt like this again.
Photo: www.c-magazine.com
