A car belonging to Oddar Meanchey Deputy Governor Vath Paranin was involved in the death of an 8-year-old boy in the province’s Samroang town, though a provincial official said Paranin was attending a provincial meeting at the time of the accident.
Thou Sophea, director for Oddar Meanchey’s provincial traffic police, said the victim, Norn Knoy, was likely cycling across the road in Konriel commune’s Kirivoan village when he was hit and killed by Paranin’s Lexus SUV, but that the car was found abandoned when police officials reached the scene.
“But we do not know whether Vath Paranin was the driver or his chauffeur,” he said.
Sophea said that police officials were already conducting an investigation into the incident. “We have not received a complaint from the boy’s parents yet, but for this case, authorities will not be quiet since the accident caused a boy’s death,” Sophea said.
However, provincial hall spokesman Chea Piseth said that he was with Paranin in a meeting at the provincial headquarters when the accident occurred, though Paranin often loaned out his vehicle. “When he heard the information from the provincial police, that they spotted his car in a traffic accident at Kirivoan village, he and other officials [went to the site] and shared their condolences with the victim,” Piseth said.
Paranin could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Piseth added that Paranin and other officials were helping organise the boy’s funeral.
