Policeman killed by speeding 71-year-old driver
A senior policeman suffered fatal injuries after being struck by a pickup driven by elderly man while setting up a roadblock to cordon off the scene of a previous accident in Chaiyaphum’s Muang district on Sunday night.
The pickup driver has been named as Zon Lookprairee, 71.
The accident happened at about half past midnight on Highway 201 near the Ban Nong Sung Intersection in Tambon Nai Muang.
The officer, Pol Sub-Lieutenant Pramote Kobmoo, 40, later died at Chaiyaphum provincial hospital.
Police said Pramote, chief of the traffic department at Muang Chaiyaphum police station, went to the area after learning that two pickups had crashed into each other near the intersection.
Pramote was setting up a roadblock about 500 metres ahead of the first accident scene when Zon approached. Other police officers saw Pramote wave for Zon to stop but he sped up and hit the officer, dragging him for several metres.
Zon was arrested and taken to the police station, where he told officers he had not intended to hit Pramote.
He said he thought police were about to set up a checkpoint so he sped up to pass before the checkpoint was in place.