Police in Phnom Penh’s Chbar Ampov district are investigating the deaths of two teenagers who fell off a motorcycle near the fence of Preaek Pra Pagoda in Prek Pra commune after midnight on September 13.
District deputy police chief Khoan Dina identified the victims as Un Dalak, an 18-year-old man from Prek Pra commune’s Phsar Cham village, and Chheang Mean Heng, an 18-year-old student living in the district’s Chbar Ampov 2 commune.
Dina said the circumstances surrounding the pair’s deaths and whether it was due to a regular traffic accident remained undetermined and that the investigation was ongoing.
He said that at around 1am on September 13, he received a call from Prek Pra commune police saying a motorist had reported a traffic accident with two people injured near the pagoda.
After receiving the report, Dina immediately led officers to the scene and found that one young man had already died while another young man was still alive but in critical condition. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, but died en route due to the seriousness of his injuries and was declared dead on arrival.
“I examined the body at the scene along with forensic officials and found nothing unusual. Our preliminary conclusion is that the victims died in a traffic accident, but we still need to investigate why the accident took place,” he said.
Citing a witness at the scene, a Prek Pra commune police officer who asked not to be named said that before the incident, the victims were being chased on their motorcycle by an unknown group of people also on motorcycles.
According to the witness, the victims lost control of their motorcycle at a roundabout and collided with a terrace before crashing to the ground.
The officer said both of the victims’ bodies had extensive injuries typical of a high-speed collision, lending credence to the witness’ accounts.
The officer also said the bodies had been handed over to their families for funerals at Chbar Ampov and Preaek Pra pagodas.
