Three female garment workers died at the scene of an accident and three others were seriously injured when a drunk driver ploughed his full-size pickup truck into a barbecue cart on the night of October 16 in Chaom Chao I commune of Phnom Penh’s Por Sen Chey district.

Heng Sarim, the municipal police’s traffic bureau chief, identified the deceased as San Phally, 24, and Kry Srey Neang, 20, both were garment factory workers. He said police were working to determine the identity of the third woman.

Authorities have not been able to identify the injured as they were immediately rushed to hospital for emergency treatment.

The driver, Hay Sochetra, 34, has no specific profession.

"The suspect was drunk and crashed his pickup truck into the victims. He did not overtake anyone before the tragedy,” Sarim said.

He confirmed that the suspect was sent to court on the afternoon of October 17.

Citing witnesses at the scene, Choam Chao I commune police chief Say Chamroeun said that before the incident on the night of October 16, they saw a black Toyota Tundra pickup driven by a man at high speed along Veng Sreng road from east to west in the commune.

The pickup suddenly crashed into a barbecue cart on the sidewalk, killing the three women and seriously injured three others.

"Our forces are only cooperating to intervene. As for the settlement procedure, the municipal traffic police are working on it,” he said.