Police on Tuesday arrested a man for drink-driving after he allegedly fled a police checkpoint in Bangkok and then led an officer on a car chase that left a 54-year-old woman injured.
The pickup truck which was damaged as a man led police on a chase about town yesterday. Apichart Jinakul
Police later identified the suspect as Nattaphol Nilphan, a 27-year-old Roi Et resident.
According to Pol Sen Sgt Maj Thanakorn Kerdudonsap, a traffic police squad leader at Thung Mahamek police station, the chase started after officers tried to stop the bronze Toyota pickup truck which Mr Nattaphol was driving at a drink-driving checkpoint at Pipat intersection on Silom Road in Bang Rak district yesterday.
Mr Nattaphol ignored the requests of the police to stop, and sped away from the checkpoint.
Pol Sen Sgt Maj Thanakorn gave chase on his motorcycle as the truck headed towards Sala Daeng intersection and ran a red light at Henri Dunant intersection, which is where the female victim, Dokrang Chuangkratong, was hit.
Ms Dokrang suffered a broken right arm and was taken to Police General Hospital for treatment.
Mr Nattaphol continued along Henri Dunant Road passing Pathumwan junction and Banthat Thong Road, before crashing into a railing on a bridge crossing Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem.
He then turned left at Yotse intersection but ran into heavy traffic. He abandoned the truck and tried to escape on foot by jumping into a canal. Mr Nattaphol was eventually caught when rescue workers retrieved him from the canal.
He later told police he had just broken up with his girlfriend and he drank about eight bottles of beer at his home in Ramkhamhaeng Road. His alcohol level was 106 milligrammes, just over twice the legal limit of 50 mg per 100 ml.