Italian killed in tragic accident

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Thu, 08/16/2007 1:20 PM

Veeramalla Anjaiah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Just last week Daria Fusco, a 31-year-old Italian woman, came to Indonesia to work as an Italian language teacher at the Italian Institute in Jakarta. On Monday she was hit and killed by a bus in the streets of Jakarta.

Fusco had visited Indonesia several times over the past five years and was particularly interested in Tenganan Pegeringsingan, a traditional village on Bali. She had hoped to continue her research into its ceremonies while living here.

Fusco was killed on Monday at 3:35 p.m. when a TransJakarta bus hit her as she walked across the busway lane in front of the National Museum on Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat in Central Jakarta.

""Daria told me that she would look for an apartment. On Monday around 1:40 p.m. she left our institute after discussing with me her new job. I was the last person to see her prior to this tragedy,"" Italian Cultural Institute Director and cultural attache Ostelio Remi told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

""Daria had worked at the ITB (Bandung Institute of Technology) two years ago. She was a friendly person and loved by everyone. She was a serious, devoted and dedicated lady,"" Remi said.

Remi said Fusco's family was scheduled to arrive in Jakarta on Wednesday to take home her body, which is currently in the morgue at Cipto Mangun Kusumo General Hospital.

Fusco was the eighth person since April to be involved in a fatal accident with a Jakarta busway bus. Most were pedestrians.

Daria was dropped in the center of the road by a cab driver who had taken her for a long ride instead of dropping her at her destination, Plaza Indonesia.

""At 3:30, she called our institute and asked for directions. It seems the driver dropped her in the middle of the road. While crossing the road this accident occurred,"" Remi said.

Meanwhile, the Jakarta Police have named the bus driver, Euguene Theodore Rosidi, as a suspect in the accident and detained him.

Traffic police law enforcement unit head Adj. Sr. Comr. Agus Susanto said Euguene would be charged with violating Article 359 of the criminal code and could face five years of imprisonment if proven guilty.

""We're still questioning him and trying to find more evidence for the case,"" Agus said.

Police have also questioned Dian Fitriani, a staff member of the Italian Cultural Institute, who received a telephone call from Daria just five minutes before the accident.

""Daria called me from the taxi, asking me directions to Plaza Indonesia. It was her last call before I heard about the accident,"" Dian said.

Transjakarta spokesman Rene Nunumete said Euguene was a good driver with no record of mistakes before the accident took place.

Remi said Euguene's family had come to his office on Tuesday to express their condolences.(10)

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