A mob of more than 50 chased down and beat the Japanese driver of an SUV involved in multiple crashes in Phnom Penh on Friday night that seriously injured two motorcyclists and damaged about a dozen vehicles, police said on Sunday.
The Japanese man, identified as Shinichi Hayasaka, 39, attempted to flee the scene of the initial crash on Monivong Boulevard because “he was scared of getting beaten up,” an official said. But a rabble of motorists followed him and brutally beat him after a second crash at Phsar Kandal market.
Details of the incident varied between the police officials interviewed on Sunday, but Mr. Hayasaka was driving his Toyota Fortuner south on Monivong Boulevard at about 9:30 p.m.
Keo Sarun, deputy Chamkar Mon district police chief, said Mr. Hayasaka’s car had run into the street’s central divider before backing into a motorbike, seriously injuring its driver and a passenger.
“[The car] reversed and crashed into a motorbike behind it, as well as a fence on the sidewalk, which fell on three cars,” Mr. Sarun said.
Soeun Saroeun, deputy municipal traffic police chief, however, said Mr. Hayasaka’s car had crashed into the motorbike before plowing into the road divider and two cars on the sidewalk. After reaching Phsar Kandal market, he proceeded to crash into two cars, five motorbikes and three tuk-tuks, he said.
“He was scared of getting beaten up, so he fled,” Mr. Saroeun said. “He drove around Phsar Kandal Market—he was trying to find a safe place because a lot of motorbikes were chasing behind him.”
The angry motorists caught up to Mr. Hayasaka at Phsar Kandal and began beating the man before police officers were able to intervene, both officials said.
Mr. Hayasaka was handed over to traffic police at about 10:30 p.m. and immediately taken to Calmette Hospital for treatment, Mr. Saroeun said.
The suspect, currently being held at the municipal traffic police headquarters, is a manager at a Japanese restaurant in the capital, he added.
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