Wanton joyride ends in arrest, serious injury

Eakkapop Thongtub editor@classactmedia.co.th

An Australian man has been arrested after he stole a car at the carpark at Phuket International Airport, hit a parked car and left the scene and ran two police checkpoints before he was apprehended last week.

The arrest came only after the Australian man had struck a motorbike, seriously injuring its Russian rider.

Lt Col Bandasak Srilert of the Sakhu Police revealed details of the arrest to The Phuket News on Mar 2.

Sakhu Police were informed by a Thai man at about 5:50pm on Mar 1 that a foreign man had stolen his white Toyota Yaris from the airport carpark.

The foreigner hit a parked car at the carpark and drove off, police were told.

The officers started tracking the stolen car through its GPS, and officers from the Chalong Police set up a checkpoint on Chao Fa East Rd.

However, the foreign man, later identified as 56-year-old Australian national John Joseph Donnelly, drove past the officers at high speed, with traffic police giving chase by motorbike.

Donnelly next encountered another police checkpoint set up in front of Lotus’s Rawai on Wiset Rd.

Donnelly again tried to avoid the checkpoint, but struck a motorbike being driven by Russian man Philipp Vorontsov, 35. Mr Vorontsov was knocked off the motorbike. The Phuket News learned later that Mr Vorontsov suffered serious injuries to one of his legs. He was rushed to Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town.*

The impact left the motorbike stuck under the front left of the car, causing the front left tyre to blow out.

Donnelly attempted to keep driving, but eventually had to stop near Friendship Beach because of the damage to the front left wheel.

Donnelly then attempted to flee on foot. Police gave chase and soon had him in custody.

Donelly was first taken to Chalong Police Station, then taken to Sakhu Police Station, where he was presented with a slew of charges, including auto theft