BUTTERWORTH: Police have arrested a senior citizen this afternoon for driving against the flow of traffic on the Butterworth Outer Ring Road (BORR).
Seberang Prai Utara district police chief Assistant Commissioner Noorzainy Mohd Nor said the 76-year-old was on his way from his home in Taman Ria Murni to Taman Intan in Sungai Petani, Kedah when the incident occurred.
He said the elderly man, believed to be senile, could not remember his way, and had gotten lost until the BORR before he made a u-turn and drove against the flow of traffic towards Prai.
A video footage of the incident has since found its way in social media.
“Based on closed circuit television (CCTV) footage provided by BORR concessionaire, the man had driven against the flow of traffic from Km7.45 of the expressway.
“The footage is only able to identify that he had driven against the flow of traffic from Km7.45 of the BORR to Km3 of the Prai Bridge. However, it is unclear where he had made the u-turn.
“He then stopped his car when he approached the Prai toll and was beaten by a group of motorcyclists. The case is being investigated by police,” he said.
Noorzainy said checks showed the man had no previous traffic summon.
“We have taken him to the Seberang Jaya Hospital to carry out several tests.
“A CT scan will be conducted.
“A drug test is also carried out if he was under the influence of alcohol,” he said.
The case is being investigated under Section 42 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.