Regional News
Woman Crashes into Power Pole Causing Area Wide Blackout
A 25 year-old woman driver who crashed her pickup into a power pole, causing strings of accidents remains unconscious in Hospital. According to police she had been at a year-end party the previous night and had little sleep.
Siriprapha Photmoo, the 25-year-old driver, remained unconscious in Samut Prakan Hospital over the weekend. Above all as anxious relatives watched over her.
On Friday she crashed her pickup truck into a roadside power pole in Samut Prakan.
The pole fell to the ground, dragging about 10 other poles down with it. The accident blacked out a large area of the district. Some of the power poles also smashed other vehicles and injured people. Also creating a traffic jam that streached 10 kilometres down of the road.
“My friends and I were sleeping. My elder sister Siriprapha was the driver… I woke up after the accident… I think the driver dozed off,” said Jariya Pinchaeng, 23, who suffered a cut face and chest pains.
Ms Siriprapha was a Toyota Vigo pickup truck, taking her and four passengers back home. They were visiting Ms Siriprapha’s boyfriend at Khlong Dan prison on Friday morning.
The driver’s mother, Wichuda Morakot, 44, said her daughter may have dozed off at the wheel. She had been at a year-end party late into Thursday night and left home about 6am on Friday.
Family can’t afford to pay for damages
Her mother said she was aware of the damage caused by the accident, however their family was poor and jobless. She said they couldn’t even afford the vehicle’s annual tax and compulsory insurance. However, they would do their best to pay compensation.
“I am sorry about what happened. No one would wish it to happen. I am speechless, knowing well that my child was in the wrong,” she told the Bangkok Post.
Ms Wichuda said Ms. Siriprapha suffered severe internal injuries and bleeding as a result of the crash. Not just the swollen face and bruises that were clearly evident.
Pol Col Pisut Chantarasuwan, said the driver and passengers in the pickup were on their way home from Khlong Dan prison. The passengers were all asleep when she hit the power pole.
Camera footage showed the vehicle failed to slow down. The truck ran up on a curve and hit the power poll. Witness at the scene also indicated the driver possibly dozed off.
A doctor told police Ms. Siriprapha would be ready for questioning in about a week. She would be charged with reckless driving causing injuries and damage, and driving a vehicle with expired registration and without compulsory insurance, Pol Col Pisut said. No drunk driving chargers were laid by police.
Source: Bangkok Post
