HCMC man ramming motorbike into traffic cop faces attempted murder charge

The crash left the officer, Van Ba Hai, with 51% disability.

The Investigation Police Agency (PC01) had initially planned to charge Le Nhat Minh with "intentional infliction of injury," but amended the charge on Sunday.

The incident took place three years ago, in the early hours of April 25, 2021, when Minh and a group of friends on four motorcycles descended from an overpass on National Highway 1A in Binh Tan District and rode abreast in the car lane at high speed.

A task force to prevent street racing and crime was at a mobile checkpoint at the time.

Hai saw the group, stepped on the roadway and tried to flag them down.

The men did not stop and in fact accelerated in a bid to escape.

Three of the motorcycles managed to speed away but Minh rode straight into Hai, causing both to crash down on the road.

Minh got up and fled on foot, while officer Hai sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital.

The police have never disclosed personal details about Hai or the nature of his injuries.

The motorbike Le Nhat Minh rode when he roamed into the police in 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Nhat Vy

Two days later Minh was arrested and charged with resisting persons performing official duties.

Two months later it was changed to intentional infliction of injury.

But a further investigation determined that Minh was culpable of a more severe crime.

The police said while announcing the amended charge Sunday: "Le Nhat Minh must have been aware that his actions were very dangerous and could result in death, yet he still intentionally carried them out. Minh's actions constitute the crime of murder."

Colonel Tran Thi Kim Ly, head of the PC01, said all citizens must strictly comply with regulations, and any action against law enforcement officers, especially police officers performing their duties, is a disregard for the law and must be condemned and dealt with severely.