GEORGE TOWN: The man whom police detained earlier today after they were forced to shoot at his rented Perodua Myvi following a fatal hit-and-run accident has admitted to driving under the influence of drugs.
Three packets of Heroin AB drugs weighing 13gm were recovered from the 46-year-old grass cutter when he was nabbed after leading policemen on a wild street chase.
This morning, police were forced to open fire on the Myvi when its driver fled after ramming into a pedestrian, killing him instantly, and attempting to crash into policemen at Jalan Batu Uban 2 here.
Northeast police chief Soffian Santong said the man, a divorcee with one child, had admitted to police during interrogation that he was driving under the influence of drugs.
"Initial investigations revealed he had gotten the drugs from his friend in Bayan Lepas. He claimed the drugs were for his consumption.
"Nevertheless, we are also probing the possibility of him selling the drugs to his friends," he told reporters when met at Jalan Perak here this afternoon.
The police forensics team was on-site to inspect the scene where a 61-year-old pedestrian was killed after he was knocked down by the Myvi when crossing the road.
Soffian said checks from closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera footage showed the pedestrian was thrown about 10-15m from the impact of the crash.
"The driver did not stop his car and instead sped off and went over the deceased for a second time.
"We have every reason to believe that he was running way from police because of the drugs," he said, adding that as of this evening, police were still trying to get in touch with the deceased's next-of-kin.
A post-mortem will be conducted tomorrow after a Covid-19 test is performed on the deceased.
In the 6.40am incident today, two policemen in an MPV were patrolling around Datuk Keramat when they came upon the Myvi, being driven suspiciously.
The policemen tried to flag down the silver colour Myvi at the Jalan P Ramlee-Jalan Perak traffic light but the driver sped off, leading police in a chase.
When the driver approached the Jalan Perak market, he slammed into the pedestrian, who was crossing the road and sped off.
The driver then continued for several kilometres in the direction of Jalan Van Praagh. When the driver arrived at Jalan Batu Uban 2, near E Park, police again ordered him to stop his vehicle but he continued to act aggressively and almost knocked into them.
The policemen were left with no choice but to open fire, aiming at the right rear tyre of the Myvi. Three shots were fired in total.
At the same time, a police motorcycle patrolman who arrived to assist opened fire on the front of the Myvi. The driver, who was not injured, was finally apprehended at the scene.
Soffian said the chase went on for between 20 and 30 minutes as the driver had taken police into the smaller roads.
Meanwhile, asked about the attire the driver was wearing when arrested – a jacket with the Indonesian Consulate emblem on it – Soffian said the man claimed he got it from a friend about two months ago.
He said the man had claimed that his friend's uncle was working in the Indonesian Consulate.
"Police have alerted the Indonesian Consulate to the matter. From what we know, he is not working in the Indonesia Consulate. Rather, he is a grass cutter and cleaner," he added.
Further checks on the man revealed he had a criminal record with 16 previous entries, 14 of which were for drug-related offences.
The case is being probed under Section 302 for murder, Section 186 of the Penal Code for obstructing a public servant in the discharge of his public function and Section 39 of the Arms Act 1960.