One dead, three injured in motorbike accident

PATONG: A young French tourist has been charged with negligent driving resulting in accidental death after the motorcycle he was driving collided with another motorbike early Thursday morning, killing the driver and leaving two passengers critically injured.

Kathu Police Deputy Superintendent Pol Lt Col Chawalit Niamwadee identified the Frenchman as Diallo Guimba, 24.

At about 4:20 am, Guimba was riding a Kawasaki motorcycle at high speed through the three-way “Coconut Intersection”, where Prachanukroh Rd meets the south end of Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd, when he lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a Honda Wave motorbike.

The driver of the Honda, 44-year-old Wiriya Uthisanond, died at the scene from head injuries.

The Phuket native, a resident of Tambon Kathu Village 1, was an employee of the Patong Resort Hotel.

It was not reported if he was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, nor could it be confirmed that Guimba was “popping a wheelie” when he lost control of the bike, as reported in one Thai-language newspaper.

Also injured were his two female companions who were riding pillion: 25-year-old Bangkok native Napassorn Hemthanond and Kannika Yana, 22, from Chiang Rai.

Both were rushed to Patong Hospital by a good citizen. They were later transferred to Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket City.

The threesome were on their way to Tung Tong in Tambon Kathu when the collision occurred, Lt Col Chawalit said.

Guimba fled the scene of the accident, but police tracked him down to his room at the Absolute Patong Ville resort on Siriraj Rd, which leads to Karon.

He is now being treated for fractures to his right arm and left leg at Bangkok Phuket Hospital, where he remains in police custody.