A 38-year-old taxi driver has been accused of three crimes associated with a traffic accident involving a motorcyclist in which he was driving under the influence of alcohol, the Public Security Police Force (PSP) spokesperson informed yesterday during the regular joint press conference of the police forces.
The accident occurred at around 8:45 a.m. on the morning of November 29, when the taxi driver failed to give way to a motorcycle at the intersection between Rua da Barca and Rua Manuel de Arriaga, causing the accident.
The police were informed of the accident and deployed an officer who, upon arriving at the location, found only the motorcyclist laying on the ground, unconscious, and the empty taxi, but no signs of the driver.
Around 15 to 20 minutes later, the driver and a second person, who claimed to be the passenger of the taxi, finally showed up at the scene.
When questioned by the officer, the driver said that he had received a call from one of his friends – the passenger – asking to be picked up from the Macau Fisherman’s Wharf and driven him to his home at Estrada de Coelho do Amaral.
While performing the job, the driver was involved in the traffic accident, and justified the abandonment of the scene by stating that he was very concerned with the condition of the motorcyclist and had therefore decided to go to a restaurant nearby to discuss with his friend what to do.
A breathalyzer test revealed that the man had a blood-alcohol level of 1.14 grams per liter. He then admitted to having consumed some alcoholic beverages on the previous evening of November 28 at around 10 p.m., while having dinner in a restaurant at Fai Chi Kei, before starting his work shift at 11 p.m.
According to the PSP, the motorcyclist, a 63-year-old local man, was taken to the hospital where he is still in a critical condition at the Intensive Care Unit.
The PSP spokesperson advised that the case was transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) on November 30, upon which the taxi driver was charged with a negligent offense against the physical integrity of another person and dangerous driving, as well as abandonment of injured persons in consequence of a traffic accident.
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