Youth accused of theft mowed down by pursuer

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Firemen working to retrieve the youth’s body from inside the drain beneath the SUV.

Firemen working to retrieve the youth’s body from inside the drain beneath the SUV.

KUCHING: A youth who fled on his motorcycle after being accused of stealing early yesterday was mowed down by a teenage driver who pursued him from Jalan Datuk Tawi Sli to Hui Sing Garden here.

The incident took place around 12.40am when the 17-year-old boy and his teenage friends confronted the 22-year-old youth at a coffee shop over the disappearance of a laptop from a friend’s vehicle, which had earlier been left unattended at the parking lot.

The group was said to have suspected the youth as they had earlier spotted him loitering at the parking lot and shining a torch light into their vehicles.

It was claimed the youth sped off on his motorcycle after being confronted by the teens, resulting in the 17-year-old pursuing the former in a sports utility vehicle (SUV).

The chase came to a gruesome end at Lorong 6 Hui Sing Garden when the SUV plowed into the youth and dragged him along the road before crashing on top of a drain in front of a house.

Residents came rushing out of their home upon hearing the crash and contacted the police after discovering the youth dead in the drain.

Traffic police personnel and CID personnel were present at the scene to question the teenager and his friends, who arrived not long after the incident, and were told by the friends that they were pursuing the deceased because they thought he had stolen from them.

When asked by police, however, the boys admitted they did not actually witness the supposed theft nor were they able to locate the laptop at the scene of the crash.

State Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department acting chief ASP Mathew Manggie said initial investigation at the scene found drag marks measuring 18 metres from the point of impact to the drain where the SUV had come to a halt.

“Early information gathered indicated the teenager had chased after the deceased, who is originally from Serian, as he suspected the latter of stealing from a friend.

“The chase began near a bus stop at Jalan Datuk Tawi Sli and ended at Lorong 6 Hui Sing Garden when the SUV crashed into the motorcyclist which resulted in his death,” he said, adding the victim’s head was crushed in the incident.

Mathew further disclosed that police detained the teenager under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 and will have him undergo a blood test to check if he was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Investigation of the incident is ongoing.