BAHA, 11 February — A traffic policeman was killed when a speeding car ran over him at a checkpoint in Al-Qura near here on Friday. The driver of the car, a 23-year-old youth identified only as Saeed, was arrested following a chase, Al-Madinah newspaper reported yesterday.
Srgt. Saleh Al-Zahrani was on night patrol when he received information from his colleagues at around 2 a.m. that a speeding car with no rear lights was heading in his direction ignoring their order to stop.
The officer waited for the car to arrive at a road block with the warning lamps of his patrol car switched on. When he saw the speeding driver approaching with no apparent intention to stop, the officer stepped out of his vehicle to wave him to a halt. But the car came straight ahead and hit Al-Zahrani tossing him to a distance of 46 meters. The officer died on the spot.
The driver fled the scene but was overpowered by policemen after a long chase.
Al-Zahrani is survived by his wife and daughter. He had been the bread winner for a family of 12 who included his school-going brothers.
In another road accident, a Bangladeshi restaurant worker in Al-Dawasir was seriously injured when his bicycle was knocked down by a speeding car. (AN)