The driver of a van in Kratie town drowned on Saturday morning after he jumped into the Mekong River in an apparent attempt to flee the scene of a fatal accident, police said yesterday.

Sith Divong, chief of staff at the Kratie town police station, said police had recovered the body of taxi driver Chum Sam On, 25 – from Prey Veng province’s Kanh Chriech district – about four hours after he was last seen jumping into the river.

According to Divong, Sam On was driving south along provincial road 73 A at about 11:30am on Saturday when he struck 62-year-old pickled spinach vendor Nhav Sokhuon as she was riding her bicycle across the road, killing her immediately.

“After hitting the victim, the suspect drove off about 250 metres and parked the car on the road and ran toward the Mekong River and jumped into it,” Divong said, noting that the victim’s family had initially given chase after the accident. “He aimed to swim to the opposite shore but, unluckily, he drowned.”

The suspect’s body was fished out of the river at about 3:45pm and turned over to his family. “After the examination of the body, the authorities handed the suspect’s body to his relatives for a traditional funeral, but the vehicle was impounded at the Kratie provincial police station pending resolution with the victim’s family,” Divong said.