Asian trucker held over fatal accident

An Asian trucker was yesterday detained over a fatal accident that claimed a Bahraini national. The arrest comes a day after the driver allegedly caused an accident on Prince Khalifa bin Salman Causeway near Khalifa Bin Salman Port in Muharraq Governorate. As a result of the accident, a Bahraini driver was announced dead on the spot, after he rammed into the 18-wheeler on the busy highway, which witnesses high traffic movement of heavy vehicles on a daily basis, considering the surrounding industrial areas such as the Dry Dock and Khalifa Bin Salman Port.

The Public Prosecution yesterday confirmed the arrest of the driver and said that he was ordered to remain behind bars for seven days while investigations continue. In the statement, Traffic Chief Prosecutor Abdulhadi Al Asfoor was quoted as saying: “The Public Prosecution was notified about the accident, which led to the death of a Bahraini national on the road leading to Khalifa Bin Salman Port. “The details of the case indicate that the suspect, an Asian national, was driving a trailer on the right lane of the road. He intended to take a U-turn near a junction without paying attention to the oncoming traffic.”

“When the suspect turned, the victim, who was driving on the left lane, rammed into the left rear side of the trailer. He was stuck inside his vehicle and sustained severe injuries that led to his death on  the accident site. His vehicle was also severely damaged,” Mr Al Asfoor said. He clarified that the Prosecution has interrogated the suspect and accused him of accidentally causing the death of a person, damaging private properties, careless driving and changing lanes without ensuring that the road is clear of vehicles, and risking motorists’ safety.

Mr Al Asfoor added that the Prosecution has ordered to detain the suspect for seven days pending investigation, and to refer him to the concerned court. Tribune learnt that the victim was identified as Saif Salman and that his body was buried in Hunainiyah Graveyard in East Riffa yesterday. This is the second fatal case to be reported in one week after an Asian drunk bus driver caused the death of a Bahraini motorist on Shaikh Isa Bin Salman Highway last week.