Hit-and-run charges against Red Bull heir “Boss” Yoovidhya dropped

In a shock ending to a case which has dragged on for years, charges against Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya, in a 2012 hit and run incident – one that resulted in a police officer’s death – have been dropped. Vorayuth is heir to the Red Bull fortune and a member of one of Thailand’s wealthiest families.

The Office of the Attorney General of Thailand made the decision to stop pursuing the charges against Yoovidhya in a court of law, resulting in Thai police reportedly dropping the charges.

As a spokesman for the Royal Thai Police told CNN this morning that the department has followed the decision of the Attorney General’s office and revoked the warrant for Yoovidhya’s arrest. The deputy head of Bangkok’s Thonglor police station, also reportedly confirmed the revocation of the arrest warrant to the associated press.

For years, Yoovidhya had an Interpol “red notice”, meaning a worldwide request for his arrest pending extradition, but the notice mysteriously disappeared from the Interpol website earlier this year and no explanation has been given. Interpol declined to discuss individual cases but told the Bangkok Post that generally a published notice is removed from its website if “the suspect has been arrested and extradited or died, the country which requested it has withdrawn its request, the judicial authorities in the country behind the notice have withdrawn the national arrest warrant against a suspect, the notice is the subject of an appeal or the notice has been cancelled or the status of the notice has changed from public to restricted”.

35 year old Boss had been facing charges of speeding, hit-and-run and reckless driving causing death. They relate to the 2012 incident in which Boss, driving a black Ferrari, hit a police officer and allegedly fled the scene, after dragging the officer for some distance. The officer later died. Boss allegedly admitted to driving the vehicle but claimed that the police officer had cut in front of him. The case caused widespread outrage in Thailand. Boss was allegedly under the influence of alcohol at the time.

Authorities claimed they had been searching for Boss, who missed at least 8 court appearances over at least 5 years before managing to flee the country. Officially, Boss has been “missing” for years, although he has been spotted in public numerous times in London and elsewhere. Thai police claim they have been trying to find him.

Boss is the son of Thailand’s second richest man and the grandson of the founder of Red Bull. His father’s estimated wealth is in the billions of dollars, according to Forbes magazine.

Red Bull has not released a public statement.

SOURCES: Reuters |Bangkok Post | The Pattaya News