Vehicles Crash Into Self-Propelled Howitzer on Night Road Move, Killing One

Two vehicles crashed in succession into a military self-propelled howitzer (a military vehicle with a mounted gun) returning from training late at night, killing the driver of the first vehicle and seriously injuring the driver of the second. The accident occurred on a dark national highway with no streetlights.

Secured footage shows a large object suddenly appearing in front of a vehicle traveling in the two-lane road, and the vehicle, unable to slow down in time, slamming into it. The following vehicle also failed to stop and crashed into it. The object both vehicles struck was a self-propelled howitzer from a nearby military unit. The Army said the howitzer was returning from training when the accident occurred.

However, the footage shows no identification devices, including safety warning lights, on the howitzer as it traveled along the road. Although Army regulations require escort vehicles to accompany tracked vehicles during road movement, no escort vehicle appears to have been present at the scene either. An active-duty Army officer pointed out: "On a public highway, a convoy escort should obviously be following, and the lead guide should be waving a warning light wand." He added, "No lead guide is visible in the footage either."

The Army said it will investigate the exact circumstances of the accident and cooperate with the police investigation. The families of the victims in the struck vehicles are reportedly planning to file a civil lawsuit against the state.