KHON KAEN — A woman died and several injured when an 18-wheel lorry allegedly with brake failures crashed into eight vehicles waiting at a traffic light in the northeastern province on Saturday.
The incident took place at around 5am at the three-way Mittraphap-Kalapaphruek intersection on the Khon Kaen-Nakhon Ratchasima section of Mittraphap Highway, police said on Saturday.
They found at the scene the a lorry owned by YSC Logistics Co Ltd carrying new sedans. Damnoen Pongpisal, the 40-year-old driver with a Phu Wiang district residence, was standing nearby to give statements to them.
Some 10 metres away were eight pickup trucks and sedans damaged at varying degrees. A dead woman was found in one of the pickup trucks with a Nong Khai licence plate. There were also several injuries.
The woman was identified as Chawee Chaisanan, 40, from Nong Khai's Phon Phisai ditrict.
Suriyan Wannarak, the driver of the pickup truck, said he left Phon Phisai with his sister, nieces and nephews, for Chon Buri early in the morning.
He was slowing down while approaching the intersection when his pickup truck was slammed in the rear, killing his sister instantly. The impact also hit other vehicles nearby.
Pol Lt Col Prasert Toomchim, chief investigator of the case, said the scene was within the 14-kilometre radius the provincial authorities had designated as a 80km speed-limit zone and there were closed-circuit cameras running around the clock.
He said the driver told him he was delivering new cars to Bangkok. He found the brakes failed when he was approaching the intersection but could do nothing to avoid the incident.
The driver was initially accused of reckless driving, causing deaths and injuries to others. All vehicles were also impounded as evidence.
The 18-wheel trailer which caused the crash in Khon Kaen on Saturday. (Photo by Chakrapan Natanri)