A customs officer has been arrested for allegedly tampering with a vehicle over attempting to intercept a motorcyclist, a move that resulted in the biker’s death.
A widely-circulated video of the incident last Friday shows a man, who authorities have confirmed was an off-duty customs officer, stepping in front of a motorbike that was being followed by a traffic police officer.
The customs officer sidestepped a head-on collision but appeared to try and grab the biker, a 27-year-old whose surname was given as Wong. Another dashcam video shows what appears to be Wong’s helmet flying off as his vehicle veered left, fell over, and crashed into a lamppost.
The police on Monday evening issued a statement saying a 40-year-old man had been arrested for tampering with a vehicle in relation to a traffic accident in Ngau Tau Kok on January 3. He was on bail pending investigation, the statement read.
The tampering charge is punishable by a HK$5,000 fine and 12 months in prison.
Prior to Monday’s arrest, lawmaker and solicitor Doreen Kong said the officer could be charged with manslaughter over the death of the motorcyclist.
Biker ‘lost control’
The police last Friday said it was investigating the crash. According to the police statement, Wong had been driving a motorcycle along Wang Kee Street towards Lam Hing Street in Kowloon Bay at 5.46 pm on Friday.
The police said the motorcyclist “reportedly went out of control” and collided with a lamppost, sustaining multiple serious injuries, and was later pronounced dead on the scene.
A 40-year-old pedestrian was suspected to have been hit by the vehicle, sustaining injuries to their arm, the police statement read.
Lawmaker Kong said on Commercial Radio on Monday that manslaughter did not require proof of intent, only of gross negligence or reckless disregard for safety. In Hong Kong, the maximum penalty for manslaughter is life imprisonment.
