A provincial firefighter has been arrested in Preah Vihear, accused of drunkenly smashing his car into his wife with such force that she was driven through the back wall of their home and killed instantly, police said.

Lieutenant Colonel Seam Keam of the Preah Vihear provincial police said Major Lonh Sopheak, 45, a deputy chief at the province’s fire bureau, was arrested for allegedly driving drunk and killing his 43-year-old wife on Saturday night in Preah Vihear town.

“He got very drunk. He could not control his driving,” he said.

Keam said that on Saturday at about 8:30pm, Sopheak was driving his Lexus back home with a friend after a night of heavy drinking. He had gone home to pick up his wife for dinner but lost control of the vehicle, striking her where she stood.

“He hit his wife, who was standing in front of the house, and rammed her into the backyard, causing a most horrible sudden death,” Keam said.

“He is accused of driving drunk and causing the death of others.”

Sopheak could not be reached yesterday for comment.