Police re-enact Health Ministry car accident
Police on Wednesday planned to conduct a simulation of the incident in which Public Health Ministry senior official Dr Yorn Chiranakhon’s car hit a security guard in the ministry compound in Nonthaburi’s Muang district last Friday, said acting national police deputy chief Pol General Weerachai Songmetta.
Yorn and ministerial officials have suggested the lighting was poor at the scene, but Weerachai said an initial inspection on Tuesday at the same time of night found the area was well lit.
Weerachai said the second inspection would use Yorn’s car and be based on interviews with automobile experts, as well as include analysis of data recorded by the vehicle regarding whether hitting a person would be felt by the driver.
Weerachai also said Yorn had been within his rights to refuse a breathalyser test but such a refusal could lead to police assuming that he had been drunk driving, which a trial judge could take into consideration.
The second inspection was deemed necessary because the first simulation did not use Yorn’s car.
Meanwhile, the security guard, Somchai Yamdee, 22, who was seriously injured in the crash, remains in stable condition after being treated at Phra Nang Klao Hospital’s intensive care unit.
On Tuesday, Yorn surrendered to police over charges linked to the crash including reckless driving causing serious injury, driving while being intoxicated and attempted murder.
An unnamed eyewitness told police that he was following Yorn’s car and saw the gate was closed, but the car crashed into the gate, knocking the guard to the ground.
The car stood still for 20 seconds before moving forward to run over the guard and dragged him along for nearly 30 metres, the witness said, adding that he flashed his lights to alert the other driver of a problem.
He also used a mobile phone to record what happened, which he submitted to police.