Driver charged in KU campus crash

Police have pressed charges of reckless driving against a man at the wheel of a pickup truck which crashed into three motorcycles on the Kasetsart University (KU) campus injuring five students on Thursday.

A video from the dashcam of another vehicle which went viral on social media showed that the pickup truck was travelling too fast and crossed into the oncoming lane.

The pickup crashed head-on into three motorcycles hurting five KU students. One of them, a thirdyear student, was still in intensive care yesterday.

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

Mr Ratthawit was later released on bail as he had cooperated with police on the case.

The man admitted that he was driving around 80 kilometres per hour at the time and claimed he could not apply the brakes because his sandals had wedged under the gas pedal.

However, the police could not find any sandals on the driver’s side and that Mr Ratthawit might have taken them home.

A breathalyser test showed Mr Ratthawit was not drunk.

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.

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

KU had earlier opened its main campus in Bang Khen district to all vehicles in a bid to help ease traffic congestion in surrounding streets.