Driver charged over KU campus crash that injured 5 students

Driver charged over KU campus crash that injured 5 students

A security guard rushes to help Kasetsart University students injured when their motorcycles were hit by a speeding pickup truck on campus on Thursday. (Photo from khokkhram28 via @fm91trafficpro Twitter account)
A security guard rushes to help Kasetsart University students injured when their motorcycles were hit by a speeding pickup truck on campus on Thursday. (Photo from khokkhram28 via @fm91trafficpro Twitter account)

Police have pressed a charge of reckless driving against the man at the wheel of a pickup truck that crashed into three motorcycles on the main campus of Kasetsart University, injuring five students, on Thursday.

A video recording from the dashcam of another vehicle, circulated in social media, showed the pickup was travelling too fast and crossed into the oncoming lane as the driver made a left turn.

The pickup crashed head-on into three motorcycles. Five KU students were hurt. One of them, a third-year student, was still in an intensive care unit on Friday.

Pol Lt Col Thanaphan Phadungkarn, deputy superintendent of Bang Khen, said on Friday that Ratthawit Sarawutwinai, 38, had been charged with reckless driving causing injuries and damage to property.

Mr Ratthawit was charged and then released without bail as he fully cooperated with police on the case.

The man allegedly admitted he was driving around 80 kilometres per hour at the time, and claimed he could not slam on the brakes because a pair of sandals had wedged under the foot pedal. 

An alcohol test had proved negative. Police could not find any sandals in the driver's position. Mr Ratthawit might have taken them home.

Pol Lt Col Thanaphan said the case would be submitted to prosecutors after police received a report from forensic investigators who examined the vehicle. That would take about two weeks.

KU on Friday issued a statement saying it would strictly screen non-university vehicles entering the campus, and ban them from areas reserved for students and university staff.

KU has opened its main campus in Bang Khen district to all vehicles, to help ease traffic congestion in the surrounding streets

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