Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Car fleeing minor crash leaves three dead as driver beaten by mob

Car fleeing minor crash leaves three dead as driver beaten by mob

A badly damaged car that hit and killed three people and seriously injured six more along Monivong Boulevard yesterday in Phnom Penh.
A badly damaged car that hit and killed three people and seriously injured six more along Monivong Boulevard yesterday in Phnom Penh. Mech Dara

Car fleeing minor crash leaves three dead as driver beaten by mob

A driver hit and killed three people and seriously injured six more on Monivong Boulevard yesterday when he attempted to flee from what was initially a minor accident, but turned into a scene of mayhem with a mob viciously beating the motorist as victims lay strewn on the pavement.

According to Phnom Penh traffic police chief Chev Hak, the man caused carnage yesterday when he drove in the “wrong direction” on the busy thoroughfare at about 5:30pm, with his Toyota Camry ploughing into several motorbikes in Chamkarmon district.

Hak, who did not name the driver, said two women and a man had died, while his deputy Sem Sokunthear said six people, who were “seriously injured”, had been taken to Calmette and Khmer Soviet Friendship hospitals.

“The man is being questioned at the district police [headquarters],” Hak said, though pictures that surfaced later online appeared to show the driver in hospital with serious injuries from the beating.

According to witness Chan Bora, the driver, travelling south, first collided with the back of a Toyota Corolla near the Royal University of Law and Economics, and then knocked over several motorcyclists as he attempted to flee, driving up the wrong side of the road, which is partitioned with a concrete barrier.

“He tried to escape and hit some motorbikes and then turned the car in another direction and ran into other motorbikes and killed people,” Bora, 55, said.

The man’s actions sparked a brutal mob backlash, with footage captured on a mobile phone showing the driver being ripped from the car and pummelled with fists and feet for the duration of the almost three-minute clip, which also pans across the devastating scene showing several broken motorbikes strewn across the road.

The crowd, which soon swelled, then turned their attention to the car, which they smashed and tried to set on fire by dousing it in gasoline, according to witnesses and photos. A fire truck sprayed water to prevent a fire taking hold.

“They were very angry because he killed many people,” Bora said. “They wanted to burn the car, but police stopped them.”

A woman who identified herself as the aunt of the two dead women, whom she said were from Kampong Cham, expressed shock.

“They are cousins [and] one of them was going to be married soon,” she said, declining to give her name.

MOST VIEWED

  • Ministry orders all schools, public and private, to close for SEA Games

    From April 20 to May 18, all public and private educational institutions will be closed to maintain order and support Cambodia's hosting of the 32nd SEA Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games, said a directive from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport. Cambodia will host the

  • Almost 9K tourists see equinox sunrise at Angkor Wat

    Nearly 9,000 visitors – including 2,226 international tourists – gathered at Angkor Wat on March 21 to view the spring equinox sunrise, according to a senior official of the Siem Reap provinical tourism department. Ngov Seng Kak, director of the department, said a total of 8,726 people visited Angkor Wat to

  • Angkor Beer strengthens national pride with golden new look and fresher taste

    Angkor Beer – the "Gold of Angkor" – has a new look, one that is more stylish and carries a premium appeal, as well as a fresher taste and smoother flavour, making it the perfect choice for any gathering. Angkor Beer recently launched its new design, one

  • PM urges end to ‘baseless’ international Ream base accusations

    Prime Minister Hun Sen urges an end to “baseless” foreign accusations surrounding the development of the Kingdom’s Ream Naval Base, as the US has consistently suggested that the base is being expanded to accommodate a Chinese military presence. Hun Sen renewed his calls while

  • Khmer ballet documentary debuts April 1

    A new documentary, The Perfect Motion, or Tep Hattha in Khmer, will premiere to the public on April 1. The documentary film follows two intertwined storylines: the creation of a show called Metamorphosis by the late Princess Norodom Buppha Devi (her very last production) and the

  • Water supply authority assures public shortages over early ‘24

    The Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority (PPWSA) asked for understanding from Phnom Penh residents in some communes where water pressure is weak. They assured residents that all supply issues will be resolved by early 2024, but have suggested that residents use water sparingly in the meantime.