Red Bull Founder’s Grandson Suspected In Hit-And-Run That Killed Motorcycle Cop
From the archive: published Sep 3, 2012, 14 years ago. Details may have changed since.
Bangkok, Thailand — Vorayuth Yoovidhya, the grandson of the creator of the Red Bull energy drink, is a suspect in an early morning hit-and-run accident that took the life of a motorcycle policeman. The officer, who was on a pre-dawn patrol in Bangkok, was struck by a charcoal-grey Ferrrari and dragged through the street. The officer apparently died of a broken neck.
Police reportedly tracked oil streaks to the Yoovidhya family’s gated mansion in Bangkok.
According to AP, the police initially tried to file a false report to obscure the actual identity of the perpetrator:
“Bangkok’s top police official, Lt. Gen. Comronwit Toopgrajank, said he took charge of the investigation after a lower-ranking policeman initially tried to cover up the crime by turning in a bogus suspect. Comronwit himself led a team of officers to search the compound of late Red Bull founder Chaleo Yoovidhaya, one of Thailand’s wealthiest men before he passed away this year, and confiscated a dark gray Ferrari with a dented front bumper.”
The Yoovidhaya family is said to be worth about $5.4 billion and owns numerous businesss in addition to the Red Bull franchise including a Ferrari importing company.
The Bangkok Post is now reporting that Vorayuth Yoovidhya, who is in his 20s, has confessed to being the driver in the hit-and-run.
According to Canada.com, “Vorayuth’s grandfather [Chaleo Yoovidhaya] in 1962 developed an uncarbonated drink laced with sugar and caffeine called Krating Daeng, which means ‘red bull”‘ in Thai.” Chaleo Yoovidhaya passed away in March of this year.
