A 57-year-old Thai woman driver wanted for a fatal hit-and-run in the United States on Jan 1 has been arrested by police in Ratchaburi and will be extradited for trial, police said.
Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, deputy commissioner-general of the Royal Thai Police Office, said on Wednesday that Tubtim Howson, 57, had returned to Thailand on Jan 5 and stayed in Chon Buri.
After her Jan 1 accident in Oakland, California, made headlines, she moved to a room in Suan Phuen district of Ratchaburi on Feb 10.
Police found her there and she confessed to the accident, according to Pol Gen Surachate.
Ms Tubtim allegedly admitted she hit and killed Benjamin Kable, 22, and said she flew back to Thailand right away because she was “in shock,” according to the deputy national police chief.
She was cooperating and would return to the United States to enter the justice system there, Pol Gen Surachate said.
Ms Tubtim is reportedly a US citizen living in Oakland. She was present with the deputy police chief at the press conference at the Royal Thai Police Office.
Recalling the crash in Oakland on Jan 1, Ms Tubtim said she saw a man on the roadside signalling her to stop. She also saw a parked Uber car.
“I thought I was about to be robbed… I was looking at the car on the roadside. It was dark, and then I hit something in front of me… At first I thought I hit a deer, but later realised I hit a man,” she said.
After the crash, she returned home and drove another car to work. She decided to return to Thailand because her younger sister was here and she wanted to consult her about the accident, Ms Tubtim said.
Pol Gen Surachate said US authorities had asked police to find Ms Tubtim. She regretted the incident and was ready to enter the justice system in the US.