UPDATE: French woman dies riding bicycle in central Thailand
UPDATE:
The Toyota sedan’s dashcam footage confirmed that the traffic lights were on green when the driver struck and killed 26 year old Camille, who was riding a bicycle across a zebra crossing in Ayutthaya in central Thailand yesterday evening. The driver tried to break and swerve out of the way but couldn’t stop in time.
Police arrested the driver under suspicion of two counts: death by dangerous driving and exceeding the speed limit. The driver was later released from the police station yesterday night, but police said they will call him back in for further questioning to find out why he didn’t get out the car and provide assistance to the injured.
ORIGINAL STORY:
A young French woman was killed in a road accident in Ayutthaya province in central Thailand yesterday evening. The 26 year old tourist got confused at an intersection when a green and red light shone at the same time, leading her to drive into oncoming traffic. A man driving a sedan through the green light couldn’t break in time, striking and killing her.
Officers from Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Police Station arrived at the scene alongside a rescue team to find 26 year old Camille Jeanne Gavaudan in a critical condition lying next to a broken bicycle on a zebra crossing. Camille was taken to hospital where she later passed away from her injuries.
The woman’s friend, 34 year old Tara Nico Scuri, told police the pair had rented bicycles on Tuesday to travel around tourist destinations in Ayutthaya. When they were cycling back to their hotel last night, Tara said they got confused by the lights at the intersection.
The women were trying to cross the road at a zebra crossing, when they saw both a red and green light shine at the same time. They thought the red light would stop cars from every lane, so they crossed the road. An oncoming car couldn’t break in time, hitting Camille, but missing Tara who came out of the incident with no injuries.
The 42 year old sedan driver, Satapana Kumsopa, told police he was driving home last night when he arrived at the intersection, saw the traffic lights were on green, so continued driving straight. He said the red light was for cars who wanted to turn right. He saw the two foreigners on their bicycles, but couldn’t stop his car in time. He said he was sorry for the incident and wants to apologise to the woman’s family.
The police said Satapana could be charged with reckless driving causing death if their investigation finds him to be at fault.
The woman’s body has been taken for an autopsy at Thammasat University Hospital. The police coordinated with the French embassy to inform Camille’s family of her death.
