GEORGE TOWN - Malaysian police said on Monday (Jan 21) that the driver of a car involved in a collision on Penang Bridge, which saw the other vehicle plunging into the sea, has tested positive for cannabis.
The accident occurred at 2.54am on Sunday along KM4 of the bridge linking Penang island with the mainland side of the Malaysian state, Malaysian media reported.
Footage from a dashboard camera obtained by Bernama news agency shows the black Toyota Vios being driven on the mainland-bound side before colliding with a white Mazda CX-5 SUV, sending the SUV plunging off the 13.5km bridge.
Seberang Prai Tengah district police chief Nik Ros Azhan Nik Abd Hamid said the 21-year-old Toyota Vios driver's urine test results had turned up positive for the drug and police would be conducting more tests for intoxication, the Malay Mail online news website reported.
"We have submitted his blood samples to the chemist's department for further tests on alcohol and drug levels," he was quoted saying.
The driver, who suffered injuries on his head, hands and legs following the accident, had been discharged from hospital on Sunday but was sent to another hospital after fainting at home.
Assistant Commissioner Nik Ros said the driver, who works as a hairstylist, has not been arrested, as he is still undergoing treatment for his head injuries.
"Whether the man will be arrested or not will depend on the findings of our investigations," he was quoted as saying by Bernama.
Police have identified the driver of the SUV that plunged into the sea as Mr Moey Yun Peng, a 20-year-old college student. A search operation to locate him and his vehicle is still ongoing.
Early investigations revealed that Mr Moey and the Toyota Vios driver had been at a birthday party which took place at an entertainment outlet on Penang island prior to the crash.
The crash is being investigated as a case of reckless and dangerous driving.
Police have not determined if the drivers of the two cars were racing at the time of the crash.
But Assistant Commissioner Nik Ros said the two cars had been driven at maximum speed, with both drivers later losing control of their vehicles. He called on those with information about the crash to come forward to facilitate police in the investigation.
