A police officer and three civilians were killed in a motorcycle collision on a road in Ban Phai, Khon Kaen, yesterday, August 25, allegedly during a high-speed pursuit of drug offenders.
Ban Phai Police Station officers inspected the scene on the Ban Nong Phue to Ban That Road after receiving a report of the crash at around 11pm. The vehicles involved were a Honda CBR police patrol motorcycle and a white-and-blue Honda Wave.
Four people died in the crash, including 29 year old Police Sergeant Thassaphon Chaiyachana, 20 year old Mintada, 21 year old Anucha, and a 17 year old boy.
Another police officer, 30 year old Police Corporal Sahaphap Maharaj, who was riding pillion on the police motorcycle, suffered serious injuries and remains in hospital.
Police found 52 methamphetamine tablets, locally known as Yaba, in the trouser pockets of the three deceased civilians.
However, police have not confirmed that the three deceased were involved in a drug network or that they were pursuing or following a suspected drug dealer before the crash.
A 52 year old witness, Natthanon, who was Anucha’s aunt, said she heard and saw a loud big bike travelling quickly past her house between around 10pm and 11pm.
She said she then saw the police motorcycle travelling behind the big bike, followed by another Honda Wave. Shortly afterwards, she heard a sound resembling a collision.
Natthanon initially did not realise that a crash had occurred because she did not hear anyone calling for help. She later saw rescue workers and police arrive and discovered that four people had died, including her nephew.
Natthanon speculated that the big bike could have belonged to a drug dealer who was delivering Yaba to young people in the area. She said she believed police may have been following the suspected drug dealer, while her nephew and his friends were travelling behind the motorcycle.
Natthanon also said Anucha used drugs and had been released from prison on August 24, one day before the crash.
Police have not identified the rider of the big bike or confirmed whether the motorcycle was connected to drug dealing. It also remains unclear whether the rider was being pursued by police.
Police are investigating whether a pursuit took place before the collision and are collecting evidence, including CCTV footage, to establish the sequence of events.
Sahaphap remains seriously injured and is not yet able to provide information about what happened before the crash.
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