An Indian expatriate was arrested in Kampot province on Monday after rear-ending a motorbike with his car and killing its passenger but was released Tuesday morning after authorities determined that the accident was not entirely his fault, officials said.
The incident occurred on National Road 3 in Chhouk district at about 12:30 p.m. when Indian national Amit Gandhi, 44, collided with Sar Run, 58, and his relative Sun Ney, 46, as they attempted to turn left off the highway without signaling, according to deputy district police chief Nak El. Mr. Run owned the motorbike and had been driving, he said.
“The two vehicles were traveling in the same direction when the [motorbike] owner carelessly turned across the lane toward their house,” Mr. El said.
Sun Ney died immediately and Mr. Gandhi was arrested at the scene, he said, adding that Mr. Run was sent to the provincial referral hospital with serious injuries.
“If both parties had been more careful, there wouldn’t have been a crash,” he said.
However, Nop Sareth, chief of the province’s traffic police bureau, said the Indian man was released yesterday morning after being questioned at the Kampot Provincial Court, having spent the night at the provincial police headquarters.
“The court did not charge him because he is not the one who caused the accident,” he said, noting that Mr. Run had swerved in front of Mr. Gandhi’s car as he attempted to turn off the road.
The bureau chief said Mr. Gandhi worked for VE (Cambodia), a pharmaceutical distributor. Mr. Gandhi’s LinkedIn profile identifies him as the company’s director.
(Additional reporting by Peter Ford)
