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Police continue deadly crash investigation despite downpour
Marked: A police officer sprays white paint on a spot that is to be analyzed in a crime-scene investigation into a traffic accident on Jl
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Marked:: A police officer sprays white paint on a spot that is to be analyzed in a crime-scene investigation into a traffic accident on Jl. Sultan Islandar Muda in Pondok Indah, South Jakarta, on Thursday. Officers used a traffic accident analysis car to detect the cause of the accident and the speed of the guilty vehicle at the time it took place. (JP/Awo) (JP/Awo)
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span class="inline inline-center">Marked: A police officer sprays white paint on a spot that is to be analyzed in a crime-scene investigation into a traffic accident on Jl. Sultan Islandar Muda in Pondok Indah, South Jakarta, on Thursday. Officers used a traffic accident analysis car to detect the cause of the accident and the speed of the guilty vehicle at the time it took place. (JP/Awo)
The investigation into a deadly car crash continued Thursday as the South Jakarta Police held a case reconstruction at the crime scene to gather more information about the accident.
Jakarta Traffic Police enforcement head Adj. Sr. Comr. Hindarsono said Thursday the reconstruction was an important measure and information would be synchronized with testimonies from the suspect and witnesses.
'We will be able to learn the car's speed, brake marks, as well as the location of the car and victims' vehicles that night,' Hindarsono told reporters.
The case reconstruction, originally scheduled for 9 a.m., was delayed for six hours because of heavy rain and caused heavy traffic congestion in the area as it was held at a busy time.
On Tuesday evening, a Mitsubishi Outlander driven by 23-year-old Christopher Daniel Sjarief lost control on Jl. Sultan Iskandar Muda in South Jakarta and crashed into six motorcyclists and two cars on the congested street.
Wisnu Anggoro, Mustopa and Mahyudi Herman were killed at the scene, while First Insp. Batang Oenang later died at Fatmawati Hospital in South Jakarta. Two people are also in critical condition and two others were injured in the accident.
The police charged have Christopher under articles 311 and 312 of Law No. 22/2009 on traffic and land transportation, which carries a maximum sentence of 12 years behind bars.
Christopher, who was not present during the reconstruction, is being detained at the Traffic Law Enforcement detention facility in Pancoran, South Jakarta.
Based on a police statement, the SUV that Christopher was driving was owned by the father of his friend, Ali.
Before the incident, the suspect had been with Ali at a coffee shop at Pacific Place mall in South Jakarta. They left in Ali's car, driven by Ali's driver Ahmad Sandi.
On the way home, Ali got out and asked Ahmad to drive Christopher home.
Not long afterward, Christopher asked Ahmad to let him drive, before forcing him to get out of the car at an underpass.
The police learned from a drug test that Christopher and Ali were under the influence of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) at the time.
LSD, an iconic drug during the 1960s counterculture in the US, can alter a person's thinking processes and sense of time. It is sold for Rp 300,000 (US$24) for a 1 square centimeter piece at street value.
Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Martinus Sitompul said Thursday the police were looking into the possibility of charging Christopher under the Narcotics Law, but would focus on the car accident first.
'There are articles for drug users and distributors in Law No. 35/2009. We will see what we can charge him with. For now, because he has tested positive for LSD, we suspect him of using drugs,' Martinus told reporters at the Jakarta Police headquarters.
According to Martinus, the suspect claimed that he was only a user and admitted that he had used LSD in a bar at Pacific Place mall before he drove the car on the evening of the accident.
He added that the police had also examined Christopher's house in Pondok Pinang, South Jakarta, but as yet he had no information whether drugs had been found there.
'The police still have three days to name him a suspect in the drugs case,' Martinus continued, adding that the police would also try to find who had supplied Christopher and Ali with the drugs.
