Crime
Bangkok Taxi Driver Gets 2 Years for Hit and Run Killing of Joanna McKiddie
BANGKOK – Taxi driver Rungreuthai Phosri has been jailed for two-years-and-three months after admitting killing a Wakefield teacher in a hit-and-run in Thailand, an inquest heard.
Joanna McKiddie, of Newmillerdam, suffered fatal injuries when she was struck by a Toyota taxi outside a petrol station in Bangkok in the early hours of September 15.
Taxi driver Rungreuthai PhosriThe inquest heard Miss McKiddie, 29, had been in Thailand for around five weeks working as a reception class teacher at St Andrew’s International School in Bangkok.
Miss McKiddie and her friend Lauren Hughes had just got out of a taxi and were crossing the Sathon Tai Road when they were struck by another taxi.
Miss McKiddie suffered fatal injuries in the incident and Miss Hughes suffered a broken leg.
Taxi driver Rungreuthai Phosri, 31, fled the scene but later handed himself in to police.
Coroner David Hinchliff said the Foreign and Commonwealth Office could not obtain a transcript of the court proceedings as the Thai authorities would not release the information to a third party.
Recording a narrative verdict, Mr Hinchliff said: “They were struck and knocked down by a taxi, the driver of which has admitted he was driving at too high a speed and driving inappropriately. It was as a consequence of his actions that Joanna has suffered fatal injuries.”
Miss McKiddie’s mother Julia, father Dennis and sister Lisa were at the inquest. Lisa McKiddie said her sister was a “brilliant and creative teacher.