Four from AP killed in car crash in US

ELURU/VISAKHAPATNAM: Four persons from AP were charred to death in the US in a car crash caused by a driver going in the wrong direction in the wee hours of Sunday.While three of the victims from AP were software professionals working in the same company, the fourth was the father-in-law of one of them.The driver of the other vehicle was also killed.The deceased were identified as Satyendra Akula (30), Sumanth Kumar Rajana (32), Venkatachalam Pasala (28) and his father-in-law Rajendra Prasad Jonnala (50).While Sumanth is a native of Rajanapalem village in Atchutapuram mandal of Visakhapatnam district, the other three are from West Godavari district.Satyendra is a native of Sivachikkala village in Palacole mandal, while Venkatachalam and his father-in-law belong to Tadepalligudem.According to information reaching here, the accident occurred at 4.15 a.m.(local time) Sunday on the Lodge Freeway in Southfield near Detroit.The sports utility vehicle in which the four were travelling was hit by a car coming in the wrong direction.As a result, both vehicles burst into flames.The impact threw up both vehicles and spun them around, leaving the wrecks helter skelter.The local police are probing whether alcohol was a factor in the accident.A pall of gloom descended on the houses of the victims after news of the crash was received from friends and relatives in the US.Pasala Venkatachalam had been working as a software engineer for five years in Detroit.He married Sindhu (23), daughter of Rajendra Prasad three years ago.They were blessed with a girl child just two months ago.According to Konda Babu, a cousin of Venkatachalam, Rajendra Prasad a former municipal councilor of Tadepalligudem, went to Detroit last month to attend a function along with his family.Satyendra worked for the same company as Venkatachalam.The news of his death was conveyed to his brother Satish in Hyderabad who in turn informed the family in Bhimavaram.However, the parents of Sumanth were not informed about his death.“Sumanth’s parents R Appala Naidu and Jaggamma are both heart patients.,” said Santhosh, a local of Rajanapalem.Sumanth is married to B Priyanka, niece of former minister Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy in 2009.