American faces attempted murder charge after drug-fuelled robbery
An American man who allegedly stole beer from a convenience store in Bangkok while high on methamphetamine and later slashed a policeman's neck when he tried to arrest him will be charged with attempted murder.
A 29-year-old American man, Alexander Lopez, is set to face attempted murder charges after allegedly stealing beer from a Bangkok convenience store while under the influence of methamphetamine, according to the Metropolitan Police Bureau. On Saturday morning around 10 a.m., Lopez snatched a box of beer cans from a 7-Eleven on Phadung Dao Road in Samphanthawong district and fled the scene.
Police officer Pol Lt Prasarn Somkanay, 58, was patrolling nearby when he pursued the fleeing suspect on his motorbike and attempted to arrest him near Suea Pa intersection on Charoen Krung Road. Lopez resisted arrest, slashing Lt Somkanay's neck with a box cutter before escaping. The injured officer was taken to Bangkok Metropolitan Administration General Hospital for urgent treatment.
Lopez was eventually apprehended on Chalermkhet 1 Road in Pomprap Sattruphai district around 11:05 a.m. on Saturday. Tests revealed that he had been using methamphetamine, and he was uncooperative during questioning. He faces additional charges of resisting arrest, carrying a knife in public, robbery, theft, and allegedly stealing a bag and mobile phone from Thammasat University around 1 a.m. on Saturday. Police intend to question him further in the presence of US embassy representatives on Monday.
Written by urgent.news from Bangkok Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
