Police in Phnom Penh’s Chamkar Mon district on Saturday arrested a 21-year-old city resident following a hit-and-run traffic accident in which one woman died and a man was critically injured, police officials said yesterday.
According to Kol Sophat, chief of police in Boeng Keng Kang I commune, the reportedly intoxicated driver of a Toyota Corolla was heading north along Norodom Boulevard toward Independence Monument at approximately 4:30 pm when he allegedly struck the back of a motorcycle taxi, killing the female passenger and injuring the male driver.
Mr Sophat said the Corolla’s driver attempted to flee the scene by swerving around the fallen motorbike but drove into an oncoming SUV.
“We responded to the traffic accident and detained the driver who caused the woman to die instantly,” he said. “The driver of the car confessed that he had been drinking and was speeding and could not stop the car.”
Phnom Penh deputy traffic police chief Pen Khun identified the victim as Khorn Porn, 29, and the driver of the Corolla as Sovann Solabut, 21. He said two passengers in the Corolla fled the scene.
“Right now [Mr Solabut] is in detention at the traffic police station. We are preparing to file documents and will send them to municipal court” today, Mr Khun said. “I think this is the fault of the driver, who lost consciousness while traveling at a high speed and caused people to die and get injured in a brutal accident.”
He added that the motorcycle driver suffered a broken leg in the accident and was now in a coma. Mr Khun said police had not yet been able to identify the man, who is being treated at Calmette Hospital.
“He has been seriously injured in the leg,” deputy traffic police chief Seng Chanthon said. “The doctor has not allowed us to interview him yet, so we do not know his background.”
