Tragic Intersection Collision: Stone Truck Claims Brakes Failed at Red Light, Crushes Sedan; 9-Year-Old Girl Dies, Mother and Relatives Critically Injured
A stone truck's brake failure at a red light in Maha Sarakham caused a tragic collision that killed a 9-year-old girl and critically injured her mother and another passenger on April 29.
On April 29, 2569, Deputy Superintendent Thanavorn Worpatthanakul of Maha Sarakham City Police received a report of a truck collision that crushed a sedan, resulting in two critically injured victims and one fatality—a 9-year-old girl.
The accident occurred at a major intersection in Ban Khuea, Khuea Subdistrict, Maha Sarakham City. Emergency responders from the Khuea Administrative Organization, Taksilaih Rescue, Sudthawaet Hospital, and the Engtek Tung rescue cutting unit were dispatched to the scene.
Investigators found that a trailer truck had struck the rear of a sedan, crushing it accordion-style, before ricocheting into a cement truck parked at the red light. Three female passengers were trapped inside the vehicle; rescue workers used cutting equipment to extract them before transport to hospitals.
The stone truck had been stopped in the left lane heading toward Roi Et province when it struck the sedan, then the cement truck. The truck driver, 45-year-old Ampol (surname withheld), stated he was transporting 28 tons of stone from Loei to Muang Suang District, Roi Et. He explained that during the amber-to-red light transition, the car ahead braked, the sedan braked, but his heavy truck was too close and couldn't stop in time. He admitted negligence due to the truck's weight.
The cement truck driver, 32-year-old Sutthipong, recounted that while stopped at the red light, he heard a violent crash. Upon investigation, he found the sedan crushed with three female passengers trapped inside. The driver urgently requested help for his daughter in the back seat and called emergency services.
The sedan driver was identified as Natthida, 27, mother of the 9-year-old girl. Another passenger was Noprat, 31. The 9-year-old, seated in the back, suffered critical injuries and died later.
Police Colonel Kraitong Chaisingh, commander of Maha Sarakham City Police, visited the scene and noted the intersection is a large junction with a long straight approach, where drivers sometimes miss traffic signals. Breath analysis of Ampol showed 15 milligrams per cent of alcohol, and preliminary urine tests detected drugs, pending hospital confirmation.
Initial investigation indicates the accident resulted solely from the stone truck driver's negligence. Police are preparing charges to be filed.
