Drunk driver kills 13 year old girl buying food for ill mother
A tragic accident occurred when a drunk driver hit and killed a 13 year old girl who was buying food for her ill mother. The incident left beer bottles scattered in the car, with the grieving mother holding her deceased daughter and repeatedly saying, “I’m sorry.”
Police reported that late last night, July 21, an accident was reported to an investigative officer with Mueang Ratchaburi Police Station, Natthaphong Achar-am. The crash, which involved a car and a motorcycle, resulted in one fatality. The incident took place on the old Khao Ngou Road in Ratchaburi.
At the scene, near a drinks shop, the body of 13 year old A (a pseudonym) was found. Nearby was her severely damaged Yamaha Scoopy motorcycle.
Her mother, 52 year old B (a pseudonym), was seen embracing her daughter’s body, tearfully apologising and calling out her daughter’s name.
The other vehicle involved, a green Toyota Camry with Bangkok plates, was found about 10 metres away from the accident site, with significant damage to its front bumper and a broken left front wheel. Beer bottles, both opened and unopened were found inside the car.
The driver, later identified as 56 year old Wihok (surname withheld) from Bangkok, was apprehended by locals and rescue workers. Wihok exhibited signs of intoxication and admitted to consuming multiple bottles of alcohol. He was taken into custody by the police for further questioning.
Preliminary investigations
Preliminary investigations revealed that before the accident, A had ridden out to buy food for her mother, who suffers from depression. She had stopped by the roadside to answer a phone call from her mother when Wihok, driving at high speed, lost control on a curve and struck A, throwing her into the nearby drinks shop. She died instantly.
An eyewitness recounted he was riding his motorcycle behind the car on his way home.
“The car was moving so fast that I didn’t dare get close. When we reached the spot, I saw the girl had just parked her motorcycle by the roadside.
“The car veered off the curve and hit her, killing her instantly. The car then came to a stop in the middle of the road.
“The driver didn’t get out and tried to rev the engine to flee but the car couldn’t move because the front wheel was broken. When we approached to tell him to get out, the smell of alcohol was overwhelming, and he admitted he was drunk.”
Police interviewed witnesses and reviewed nearby CCTV footage. Wihok’s blood alcohol level was found to be 222 milligrams per percent. He faces charges of causing severe injury and death by drunk driving. Additionally, the car’s registration and insurance were found to be expired.
A’s body was sent to the forensic centre at Ratchaburi Hospital for a thorough autopsy before being returned to her family for religious rites, reported Khaosod.
