Two people in a stolen pickup truck were killed and three police were injured in a road accident in Lan Sak district, Uthai Thani, late on Monday night. The stolen vehicle crashed into a power pole and then hit a pursuing police pickup.
Police said that officers at a checkpoint in Nong Chang district had signaled for the pickup to stop. They were acting on information that the vehicle had been stolen three days before.
Instead of stopping, the truck sped away with police in pursuit.
The driver eventually lost control of the vehicle, hitting a roadside signpost and then a power pole. The force of the crash caused the vehicle to spin around and hit a pursuing police car.
Three policemen were injured, one seriously. Pol Capt Surapot Khreuthanakul, Pol Snr Sgt Maj Damrong Budsing and Pol Cpl Purit Pattharakhunanont were rushed to a nearby hospital.
Other officers at the scene found the driver of the stolen vehicle dead in the wreckage. He was later identified as Pongsak Roiking.
The passenger was found lying dead nearby, face down on the road. She had been thrown from the vehicle by the force of the crash. She was identified as Supaporn Thongsri. There was evidence of drug use inside the stolen truck.
Police were investigating.
