Driver in Kampong Speu crash that injured 20 arrested

A truck sits in a Kampong Speu field on Saturday after it veered off the road, injuring 20 passengers. Photo supplied

The driver responsible for a truck accident on Saturday that injured 20 garment workers in Kampong Speu province’s Baset district was arrested yesterday and is currently being held at the district police station.

The accident occurred on Saturday evening after the driver, who was taking workers home, veered off the road to avoid a motorcycle and overturned in rice paddy. Eight of the 20 workers were seriously injured, of which three had to be sent to Phnom Penh to receive treatment.

Sem Sarith, a traffic police official in Kampong Speu, said that after fleeing the crash scene on Sunday, 35-year-old suspect Chhea Chab was arrested yesterday, though he did not detail how the arrest was made. “He was trying to escape, but we managed to find and arrest him,” Sarith said.

Yang Sokly, Baset district police chief, said Chab was currently at the provincial police station and would be presented in court today.

“The police had a network [of people] to look for the driver, and they arrested him when he was trying to flee to another province,” Sokly said.

Contact author: Sen David

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