Two people were on Saturday knocked dead by a police car on its way from Gulu to Hoima district.
The accident happened at Minakulu, along the Gulu- Kampala high way.
The accident left three other people critically injured.
The car, a white double cabin Reg. No. UP 4713 Toyota Hilux, the official car of the Regional Police Commander (RPC) for Aswa region was being driven by one, Walter Kilama.
Kilama is currently being held at Kamdini Police Station for questioning.
Jimmy Patrick Okema, the Aswa Region Police Public Relations Officer (PRO) told a media briefing yesterday that Kilama was driving the regional police commander, Wilson Kwanya to Hoima district for the International Labour Day celebration. Mr Kwanya was among those who received a media from the president in recognition of his contributions to Uganda.
Okema said five people were injured in the accident while two died on the spot.
The police spokesman described the accident as tragic. He attributed it the cause to poor road usage. He explained that it was a market day at the site of the accident with people milling about the road while other sections of the road where blocked by lorries, narrowing the passage
According to Okema, the accident occurred as the police driver tried to dodge a motorbike carrying iron sheets but it swayed off the road and ramped into the road side market.
The dead have been identified as Denis Odoch, 24 and Hellen Apica, 56, residents of Alati village, Minakulu Sub County, in Oyam district.
Three of the survivors identified; Patrick Ojok, 42, Richard Obol Okello, 38 and Evaline Abur, 14, are receiving treatment at St Mary’s Hospital- Lacor in Gulu.
In November last year, eleven people died at the same spot after a tipper lorry travelling at high speed rammed into a group of people sitting at a drinking joint at the trading centre.