Man turns himself in after high-speed police chase in Samut Prakan
A man turned himself in to police in Samut Prakan today, December 18, after allegedly leading officers on a high-speed chase spanning more than 10 kilometres and injuring two of them in the process.
The incident began late last night, December 17, when officers from Samrong Tai Police Station were patrolling on Pu Chao Saming Phrai Road near the entrance of Soi Wat Bang Ya Phraek in Phra Pradaeng district. There, they spotted a suspicious red Toyota Yaris with modified features and signalled for it to stop. However, the driver reportedly accelerated into a nearby alley, exiting onto the Bhumibol 2 Bridge before heading towards Rama III Road via Bhumibol 1 Bridge.
Officers gave chase on a patrol motorbike and repeatedly honked in an attempt to make the car stop. During the pursuit, the Yaris allegedly struck the police motorcycle, causing it to crash and injuring both officers on board.
Police later found the red car abandoned in Soi Mae Chi Sawat near Bhumibol Bridge. The front of the vehicle showed damage from an apparent collision, and the right front tyre was blown out. Inside the vehicle, officers found a long grass-cutting blade, but the driver was not at the scene.
Shortly afterwards, the suspect, identified as 23 year old Warut, arrived at Samrong Tai Police Station and admitted to being the driver. Officers immediately took him in for questioning and conducted tests for drugs and alcohol. Both returned negative.
Khaosod reported that Police Sergeant Major Thanapon Samerjai, one of the injured officers, sustained injuries to his left leg and arm, while his colleague, Police Lance Corporal Phathaikit Krueaboon, suffered chest pains. Both were taken to hospital for treatment.
Warut reportedly told police that he panicked when he saw the officers trying to stop him because he had been drinking and had a large blade in his car. He claimed he had the blade for self-defence while looking for his wife and admitted to fleeing the scene after the crash.
He also told investigators that he swerved to avoid a vehicle in front of him as he descended from the bridge, which caused the police motorcycle behind him to lose control and crash.
Warut now faces charges of reckless driving causing injury, damaging government property, and failing to stop when ordered by police.
In a similar incident, a traffic police officer chased an app-based motorcycle taxi rider who ran a red light, causing the female passenger to fall and suffer a head injury.
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