Thai driver flees after crashing into old man, dragging body 10km
A Thai man claimed he fled in shock after crashing into an 84 year old man and dragging the lifeless body for 10 kilometres from the scene of the incident in the central province of Ratchaburi.
Officers from Photharam Police Station were alerted to the discovery of a corpse on a road alongside a railway track in the Photharam district of Ratchaburi yesterday, December 15. The body was identified as 84 year old Boonchu Aramkong, a Thai national.
Family members were called to the scene and informed the police that Boonchu’s death was killed in a hit-and-run. They explained that he would often sweep the area outside their home and cross the road to dispose of rubbish in a bin on the opposite side.
On the day of the incident, a pickup truck struck Boonchu as he crossed the road and sped away, dragging his body along. The family tried to follow the vehicle but were unable to catch it, so they sought assistance from a local rescue team in searching for Boonchu.
Boonchu’s body was found more than 10 kilometres from the scene of the collision. Neither the vehicle nor the driver was present at the location where the body was discovered.
Police eventually tracked down the pickup truck, which was parked outside Muang Temple in the same district. A 61 year old Thai man, Paeng Somjai, admitted to owning the vehicle and being the driver responsible for the fatal accident.
Paeng confessed that he was driving home after shopping at a fresh market when the accident occurred. He claimed he panicked and fled the scene in shock.
The family of the deceased expressed grief and anger towards the driver. They demanded that Paeng attend Boonchu’s funeral and apologise for his actions.
They also stated their belief that Boonchu might have survived if the driver stopped immediately after the collision instead of dragging the victim’s body along the road.
An autopsy conducted at Chet Samian Hospital revealed severe injuries to Boonchu’s body, including a fatal head wound exposing his skull. His left arm was nearly severed, his left foot was reduced to bone, and scratches were found across his body.
