A female tourist was injured in Rua de Cinco de Outubro on Thursday when a taxi ran over her foot, Public Security Police (PSP) spokesman Wong Wai Chon said during a regular press conference yesterday.
According to Wong, the suspect is a 70-year-old driver surnamed Cheong. The victim is from the mainland. She visited Macau with a female companion. Both are about 30 years-old. Their surnames were not released.
Wong said the incident happened at around 7 p.m. in Rua de Cinco de Outubro on Thursday when the two tourists took a taxi from Taipa to Rua de Cinco de Outubro in the Inner Harbour area.
When they arrived at their destination, as the second passenger was getting out of the taxi, the taxi driver ran over one of the passengers’ foot.
The victim’s companion promptly knocked on the window of the taxi, trying to tell the cabbie that his taxi ran over her friend’s foot.
According to Wong, a witness to the incident saw that the taxi driver stopped for a moment, but then suddenly sped away.
The victim and her companion reported the case to the police. According to Wong, the victim’s foot was slightly injured in the incident.
After reporting the case to the police, an ambulance took the victim to the public Conde S. Januário Hospital Centre for treatment, Wong said. The victim was discharged from the public hospital at around 11 p.m. that day, according to Wong.
Thanks to CCTV camera footage, the police confirmed the taxi’s registration number and told the cabbie to report to a police station for a breathalyser test and questioning at 9:10 p.m. that day.
Cheong passed the breathalyser test. Under questioning, Cheong admitted that he noticed that someone had knocked on the window of his taxi. However, he claimed that at that time he did not know whether both passengers had got out of the taxi. He also claimed that he did not realise that anyone had been hurt.
Moreover, he denied that he committed the crime of causing bodily harm by negligence.
The police have transferred the suspect to the Public Prosecution Office (MP). Cheong faces possible charges of causing bodily harm by negligence and committing a hit-and-run offence.
According to Article 142 of the Macau Penal Code, causing bodily harm by negligence is punishable by up to two years behind bars, or a fine.
According to Article 88 of the Road Traffic Law, abandoning the victim of a traffic accident is punishable by up to three years behind bars, or a fine.
According to Article 89 of the Road Traffic Law, evading responsibility in a traffic accident is punishable by up to a year behind bars, or a fine.
Public Police Security (PSP) spokesman Wong Wai Chon (right) answers journalists’ questions during yesterday’s regular press conference while Judiciary Police (PJ) spokeswoman Lei Hon Nei (left) looks on. Photo: Kristy Chan
PLEASE READ THE FULL ARTICLE IN OUR PRINT EDITION.
