Man and stepdaughter killed in accident

JOHOR BARU - Canteen cook Ellyas Salleh, 33, died at the scene of the accident after being knocked down by a car along Jalan Johor Baru-Kota Tinggi at 5.50am on Sunday.

As he lay dying, he held on tightly to his four-year-old stepdaughter, Julia Alfiana Nasyirah Adi Kasumi, who died several hours later, reported The Star.

Mr Ellyas' mother Zuraina Hashim, 50, said the victims and her daughter-in-law Wati Damam, 29, were crossing the road to catch a taxi. "Wati had crossed the road first and was just a few steps ahead when a car hit Ellyas and Julia.

"When Wati turned back to search for them, she saw them lying on the road with Ellyas tightly holding onto Julia," she said at the Hospital Sultanah Aminah mortuary.

LOVING FATHER

A neighbour of the victim, who wanted to be known only as Mr Ridzuan, 44, said Mr Ellyas had been a loving father to his three stepchildren.

"He always had a smile and would play with his kids, especially Julia, as she was the youngest of the siblings," he said, adding that the other two children were 10 and 12 years old.

Johor Baru South police spokesman, Assistant Commissioner Sulaiman Salleh, said the victims were crossing a four-junction road from Kampung Dato Sulaiman heading to Giant Extra Taman Suria, when they were hit and landed about 5m away.

The 39-year-old driver of the car sustained hand injuries.

This article was first published on October 14, 2014.
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