A soldier, whose car flipped over in the early hours of Friday morning, has been charged with murder after shooting and killing a police officer attempting to rescue him from the crash.
The driver, named as 23-year-old Sergeant Jirat Katanyoo, has been heavily drinking before deciding to drive his vehicle in Sattahip, Chonburi province, at around 2 am on Friday.
His inebriation resulted in reckless driving and the car flipping over. A police officer on duty, 33-year-old Rit-rong Yasawut, arrived on the scene to help the driver out of the flipped vehicle.
However, the soldier began firing at the police officer, striking him three times in the chest and twice in the arm.
The drunk driver also fired shots at a bystander, 50-year-old Adun Chansaeng, hitting him on his right arm.
Police at Plutaluang station arrived on the scene to find their colleague fatally injured with the soldier lying next to him.
They also found the wounded bystander and the suspect’s girlfriend nearby.
The injured were taken to nearby Smdej Phranangchaosirikit Hospital, where the police officer was pronounced dead on arrival.
The suspect’s girlfriend told officers that he had drunk a lot of alcohol before deciding to drive. They believe he may have hallucinated that the officer rescuing him was coming to attack him, causing to fire several shots.
Police have detained Jirat Katanyoo and will charge him with murder.
Source: The Nation
