Businesswoman driving BMW that crashed into a series of cars in Saigon admits to 'having been drinking'

On the morning of October 22, Binh Thanh District Police (HCMC) determined that Ms. Nguyen Thi Nga (46 years old, owner of Brasil restaurant in District 3) drove a BMW car and crashed into at least 6 motorbikes waiting at a red light and a taxi at Hang Xanh intersection late last night. The accident left one person dead and many seriously injured.

Accident scene.

Ms. Nga is currently in custody and admitted to drinking beer and wine at a restaurant on Pasteur Street (District 3). She usually has a driver to pick her up and drop her off, but yesterday he was busy with personal matters, so he had to drive himself. On the way home, she fell asleep and drove to the intersection, causing an accident.

Ms. Nga's blood alcohol level was 0.94 milligrams per liter of breath. "This shows that the driver had consumed a lot of alcohol, causing her to lose control," said a traffic police officer.

After helping locals take the victims hit by a BMW car at the Hang Xanh intersection (Binh Thanh district) to the emergency room, Mr. Danh (38 years old) sat absentmindedly in front of his house, lighting a cigarette, watching the authorities examine the scene.

He said that at around 10:30 pm last night, he and many people living near this intersection were startled by a loud noise, like a bomb, when a BMW car caused an accident. On the road, a series of people and motorbikes, two cars, were scattered over a distance of nearly 50 meters. Some were calling for help, others were unconscious in pools of blood.

"Inside the BMW, the airbag had ruptured. The middle-aged woman sitting at the wheel was panicking and calling repeatedly. Many people knocked on the door and told her to get out of the car and deal with the victims, but she didn't listen. She only came out when the police arrived," said Danh.

In a video recorded by local residents, businesswoman Nguyen Thi Nga, in tattered clothes, said "my life has never been like this". When many people blamed her for causing a serious accident, the female driver replied "let me take care of whatever happens, wait for me a moment" and continued to press her phone.

Sitting quietly with her family under the Hang Xanh overpass, Ms. Thao (24 years old, Thu Duc resident) said she still hasn't calmed down. Although she was the victim of the incident, she was lucky to only suffer minor injuries.

At that time, Ms. Thao was driving on Dien Bien Phu Street, heading from the city center to Saigon Bridge. When she and more than 10 other people stopped at a red light, they were suddenly hit from behind by a BMW.

"We were thrown to different places. The whole area was like a battlefield, motorbikes and people were lying everywhere. A girl was dragged about 20 meters by the car, lying motionless next to the BMW door. Many people ran to save her but she died," Ms. Thao's voice trembled.

Riding his motorbike right behind the BMW, Mr. Tuan (living in Go Vap) saw a luxury car speeding down the road at a very high speed, even though he was about to reach an intersection. "I thought the car would stop, but I didn't expect it to rush straight into the group of people. Everything happened very quickly, in just a few seconds. Luckily it hit a taxi and stopped, otherwise there would have been more people in trouble," said the witness, adding that he and the people had stopped several taxis on the road to take the victims to the emergency room.

Gia Dinh People's Hospital received seven people from the accident. Five people with minor injuries were discharged overnight, while two people in critical condition are being actively treated by doctors.