The SUV driver involved in a crash on Skyway Stage 3 in Quezon City that killed a counterflowing motorcycle rider has been released, the police Highway Patrol Group said on Thursday.

Police received a copy of the release order from the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday, HPG-SLEX substation chief PCapt. Jun Cornelio Estrellan told ABS-CBN News.

“The evidence of reckless imprudence on the part the respondent is lacking. There is no eyewitness to the incident. Sa last part po may release order itong kasama,” Estrellan said quoting part of the prosecutor’s resolution.  

Estrellan said the SUV driver was released around 7:15 p.m. following the order of the prosecutor.

“Una pa lang yung partido ay nagkaroon na ng settlement dito sa opisina. At the same time, don po pinatunayan po ng kabilang partido (mga kamag-anak ng motorcycle rider) na wala na silang hahabulin doon sa [SUV] driver,” Estrella said.

(Parties have already settled here at the office. At the same time, the other party said they won't go after the driver)

“Sa part namin sa HPG tapos na po itong usaping ‘to” he added.

(As of now, the case is over for the HPG.)

According to Estrellan,  the SUV driver promised to give financial aid to the family of the motorcycle rider.

The relatives of the motorcycle rider declined to be interviewed and instead said they were communicating with the driver of the sports utility vehicle.

CCTV footage obtained from Skyway O&M Corp. (SOMCO) showed that the rider which was using a 150-cc motorcycle, was initially headed northbound on A. Bonifacio towards the NLEX main toll plaza. The rider turned onto the Balintawak Skyway Stage 3 northbound off-ramp and sped off southbound, against the flow of traffic.

A traffic enforcer at the Balintawak off-ramp tried to stop the rider, but the motorist sped past the outpost.

According to SOMCO, the motorcyclist was traveling at around 80 kilometers per hour, above the 60 kph speed limit on Skyway Stage 3.

HPG said only motorcycles with 400cc engine displacement and above are allowed on expressways and the Skyway.