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The Toyota iQ came to a stop on Waterloo Road near the wholesale fruit market in Yau Ma Tei on Friday. Photo: Felix Wong

Manhunt for driver who hit six people – including a six-year-old – on two busy Hong Kong streets

Suspect flees on foot near Yau Ma Tei Wholesale Fruit Market after collisions with minibus and double-decker

Police were hunting for a driver who sped through three sets of red lights, mowed down six people and rammed into a minibus and a double-decker on two busy Hong Kong streets on Friday.

Six pedestrians – three men, two women and a six-year-old girl – went sent to hospital, police said. All six escaped serious injury.

The front bumper of the vehicle. The driver hit five pedestrians, all of whom escaped serious injury. Photo: Felix Wong

The pink Toyota iQ bearing the number plate “1CE BABY” was travelling along Nathan Road in Yau Ma Tei heading north towards Mong Kok when the first incident occurred, just before 11.30am.

The car knocked down three passers-by – two men and one woman – at a pedestrian crossing when it jumped a red light at the junction of Nathan Road and Man Ming Lane, police said.

“The car continued to run and jumped another red light when it made an illegal left turn onto Waterloo Road, where it knocked down another three pedestrians and slammed into a minibus,” a police source said.

Those three pedestrians were a 32-year-old female asylum seeker from India, her six-year-old daughter, and a local man aged 58.

The source said the front bumper of the hit-and-run car broke off in the collision. However, the collision did not stop the car and it continued down the road.

The streets are located in Yau Ma Tei, a highly congested area of Kowloon for both vehicles and pedestrians. Photo: Felix Wong

“It rammed into a double-decker when it sped through the third set of red lights at the junction of Waterloo Road and Shanghai Street,” he said.

The male driver abandoned the car and fled before officers arrived
police spokeswoman

The car pulled over outside Yau Ma Tei Wholesale Fruit Market on Waterloo Road near the junction with Reclamation Street. The site is about 500 metres away from where it hit the first three pedestrians.

“The male driver abandoned the car and fled before officers arrived,” a police spokeswoman said. The man was described as Chinese, wearing a cap, black T-shirt and blue jeans.

A video clip shows the driver sitting in the car for about 30 seconds after it came to a stop, then he jumps out of the vehicle and flees on foot when two police officers arrive.

The footage also shows the man run across the central divider to cross Waterloo Road, with the two officers giving chase.

Officers searched the area, but no arrest was made.

Police said the six pedestrians suffered minor injuries and were taken conscious to Kwong Wah Hospital for treatment.

A police sniffer dog found no illegal drugs in the car. Photo: Felix Wong

A police sniffer dog was called in to search the car, but no drugs were found.

Detectives from the Yau Tsim police district were handling the case, which was classified as furious driving.

Officers investigating at the scene on Friday. Photo: Felix Wong

Police were searching for the woman who owns of the car. According to registration records, she bought the vehicle for about HK$85,000 (US$10,900) in 2013.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Manhunt for driver who hit six pedestrians
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