Legendary rally driver Lukas Hipondoka loses son in road accident

A 25-year-old man identified as Lucentio Lopes (pictured above), the son of legendary rally driver Lukas Hipondoka, died in hospital after he was involved in a tragic accident which involved four vehicles.

 

The accident took place on Friday evening on the road between Usakos and Arandis.

The accident was confirmed by Nampol Detective Chief Inspector, Erastus Iikuyu who said the accident took place about 30-35km from Arandis to Usakos.

“It is alleged that the truck that was transporting fish, with two occupants on board, was travelling from Arandis towards Usakos when a red Izuzu double cab, (a tow-in vehicle) who was towing a trailer with a small sedan on top approached the truck from the Usakos direction. According to the truck driver, the Izuzu double cab was driving in the wrong lane; it was actually facing the truck.”

Iikuyu added that the truck driver tried to avoid a head-collision with the double cab and as a means of avoiding the vehicle he drove towards the left side of the road.

“While in the process of trying to avoid a collision, the trailer of the red Izuzu double cab hit the right front wheel of the truck, which resulted in the driver of the truck losing control over the truck and driving onto the wrong lane, facing the oncoming cars and ended up hitting a Toyota Corolla and a Ford Ranger that was driven by Lucentio Lopes, before it overturned.”

According to Iikuyu it is further alleged that Lopes was the only one that was seriously injured in the accident and he was taken to Cottage hospital in Swakopmund for medical treatment where he passed away on Saturday mor-ning.

Apparently Lopes was an employee at Novel Ford in Windhoek and was on his way to Swakopmund to attend a soccer tournament when the accident happened.