Police have charged the driver of a Mini Cooper involved in a hit-and-run incident last month which seriously injured three people with three driving offences.
Cholawit Hiranchatchawal, 18, turned himself in to police at Express Way Police Station 1 yesterday in connection with the May 19 incident.
He was accompanied by lawyers and his grandmother, Hong Sae-lee, 81, owner of the car.
When he appeared at the police station, Raiwin Prasarnsophon, 24, a cousin of injured Chotika Prasarnsophon, who has been in a coma since the incident, moved towards Mr Cholawit and grabbed his shoulder from the behind.
Mr Cholawit turned around and allegedly punched Mr Raiwin in the face.
At that point other relatives of the victims rushed to attack Mr Cholawit before police moved to intervene.
After two hours of investigation, police arranged for Mr Cholawit to apologise to relatives of the victims.
"I'm so sorry and would like to apologise to those who were injured. I confirm that I did not intend to injure them.
"It was an unexpected accident and I was not drunk," he told reporters.
Asked why he did not surrender to police sooner, one of his lawyers said that Mr Cholawit was frightened and stressed and was plagued with suicidal thoughts.
The incident happened after a pickup truck and a Mercedes Benz collided on Rama IV Bridge at night.
Ms Chotika, an Abac University student, witnessed the accident as she drove three of her friends along the same road.
She pulled over and the four young people left the vehicle to provide assistance.
At that point the Mini Cooper drove into the group of people, injuring Ms Chotika and her friends Natthinee Panyawutthikrai and Surachet Natthachai.
The incident was publicised online by an internet user called Wong Cartoon, who uploaded photos and an account of the hit-and-run.
The information in the posting helped police to track down the car at a garage in the Ekachai area.
Ms Chotika and Mr Surachet are still in a serious condition. Doctors have performed a tracheotomy on the comatose Ms Chotika so she can breathe. Mr Surachet needs physical therapy.
Pol Lt Col Kantapol Sintawacheewa, senior investigator at Express Way Police Station 1, said yesterday police have charged Mr Cholawit with reckless driving which caused serious injury and damage, driving without a licence, and fleeing the scene of an accident.
Pol Lt Col Kantapol said the suspect told police that he could not see clearly on the road.
After the accident, he drove home. His grandmother, noticing that he was stressed, asked him what was wrong and he told her what had happened.
After questioning Mr Cholawit, police took him to a juvenile observation and protection centre to be detained.
He was sent to a juvenile facility because he was 17 at the time of the incident.