CHANTHABURI, Thailand – Two sisters were killed instantly after a BMW X6 crashed into their motorcycle on Sukhumvit Road in Chanthaburi on Sunday, with the driver saying the motorcycle suddenly crossed into his lane at close range. The accident occurred on Aug. 30 on the Rayong-bound side of Sukhumvit Road near Ban Lao Bridge in Tha Luang subdistrict, Makham district.
Police and rescue workers arriving at the scene found a BMW X6 with severe damage to its front end and a cracked windshield. Fresh vegetables were also found lodged in the front of the vehicle.
The two victims were identified as a 70-year-old woman and her 66-year-old sister. They were found near the rear of the BMW and in the central median area. Their Honda Wave motorcycle was found overturned and badly damaged in the roadway.
Investigators also found skid marks stretching nearly 100 metres along the right lane, while groceries and fresh food the sisters had reportedly purchased from a market were scattered across the road.
The BMW driver, a 43-year-old man, remained at the scene and was visibly shaken while waiting to give a statement to police. He told investigators that he had been driving home to Klaeng district in Rayong with his wife and two children when he saw the motorcycle travelling in the left lane. He said the motorcycle suddenly crossed into the right lane directly in front of his vehicle.
The driver said he sounded his horn and immediately applied the brakes but was unable to avoid the collision. The BMW struck the motorcycle with force before he managed to bring the vehicle to a stop. After getting out of the car, he approached the scene and later apologized to the victims’ relatives, saying he had not intended to cause the crash. He also said he was prepared to provide assistance to the families of the two women.
Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision. A dashcam in the BMW reportedly captured the incident and is expected to form part of the evidence in determining how the crash occurred.
