A 58-year-old Thai pedestrian, Kia Sae-wang, was crossing to street to dine at a restaurant located in the Chiang Mai province in Thailand. Little did she know, however, that Thursday, January 2, was going to be her last. An American tourist, 38-year-old Philip Edward Morrow, was driving a dirt bike at the same time Kia was crossing the street. He ended up hitting her, which, unfortunately, led to her death.
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Moments after the unfortunate accident, many bystanders and first responders rushed to tend to Kia Sae-wang. According to Khaosod English, Morrow knelt down with insurmountable regret at the place of the accident. Understandably, he was worried he had committed a life-changing mistake and was apologizing to Sae-wang's family.
The emergency responders administered CPR, and they soon rushed her to Mae On Hospital. Philip Edward Morrow and Sae-wang's family then were brought to the local police station for questioning. It was right then and there that police received the heartbreaking news that Kia Sae-wang succumbed to her injuries at the hospital.
At that moment, Morrow prostrated himself in front of Sae-weng's family in" deep remorse." According to Khaosod, Sae-weng's family was not angry at Morrow. In fact, they were understanding of his remorse and believed it was genuine, which shows a great level of compassion given the tragic news of Kia's death.
Investigations Continue
Investigations revealed the aforementioned details surrounding Kia Sae-wang's death. At the time of the accident, Philip Edward Morrow was driving his dirt bike alongside a friend of his. As a result. Morrow was then charged with reckless driving causing death.
According to NDTV World, Thailand penalizes murder with sentences that range from decades in prison to the death penalty. However, these penalties vary significantly in case of accidental killing. Back in 2022, for example, Norawit Buadok was sentenced to a year and 15 days in prison after he killed Waralak Supawaty-Jariyakul. He had been speeding before he ran over Waralak.
However, Waralak's family criticized the sentencing, stating that it was light. According to Benar News, one person could expect a sentence of up to 10 years in similar circumstances. In the case of Philip Edward Morrow, only time and the local courts will determine his sentencing.
"As for whether repenting and apologizing would help reduce his punishment, we don't know," Jakarin Atthasongphong, Police Col. and superintendent of the Mae On Police Station, said. "It is the court's responsibility to serve the sentence."
