Preah Vihear provincial police are searching for a suspect after he caused a traffic accident that killed three people and seriously injured another.
The suspect is accused of driving at speeds dangerously over the limit in the lead-up to the accident on January 11 in Preah Vihear province’s Palhal commune.
Si Sokun Ratha, director of the provincial Road Traffic Bureau, said the perpetrator fled the scene on foot when his cement truck broke down about 150m away from the collision.
Sokun Ratha said that before the incident people saw the truck driving at high speeds down the slope in a south-north direction.
The cement truck first collided with a Toyota crossover which was pulling out from a petrol station and crossing the road.
According to witnesses, the truck driver then over-steered to the right and hit two motorbikes that were driving on the red gravel road, killing three people on one motorbike and giving the driver of the other motorbike a broken leg.
The driver of the crossover only suffered minor injuries.
“The cement truck was driving very fast down the hill and laying on his horn the whole time. The truck hit the crossover that came out of the petrol station causing it to turn left, while the truck turned right and hit the motorcyclists,” he said.
According to Sokun Ratha, the bodies were handed over to their families for traditional funerals. The seriously injured were taken to the provincial referral hospital.
The two motorbikes, the crossover and the cement truck are being retained at the provincial police station.
The provincial police report identified the crossover driver as Teav Sophanna, a 72-year-old man from Preah Vihear town’s Kampong Bronak commune.
The motorbike driver who broke his left leg is Eng Srey, a 50-year-old worker from Preah Vihear town’s Palhal commune.
The three who were killed driving the other motorbike are Tonh Saoly, 30; her one-year-old daughter Mary Hanna; and Khoem Chantola, a 35-year-old female.
They all lived in Preah Vihear town’s Palhal commune.
