BENTONG: Sharp metal debris which fell from a moving trailer has been identified as the "culprit" that resulted in some 30 vehicles suffering tyre punctures along the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway (KLK) and the East Coast Expressway Phase 1 (ECE1) near here on Apr 29.
Police have tracked down and recorded a statement from the 28-year-old lorry driver who was behind the wheel of the trailer transporting scrap metal from Balakong, Selangor to Gebeng, Kuantan on the ill-fated day.
Bentong police chief Superintendent Zaiham Mohd Kahar said the incident unfolded when the highway operator (Anih Berhad) received several complaints from motorists about 10.40pm on Apr 29 claiming that sharp metal objects had punctured their vehicle tyres.
He said some 30 vehicle owners of various models had contacted the highway hotline number to inform about the damages while travelling along the dual-carriageway stretch here, and two individuals - a 30-year-old victim and a 44-year-old highway patrol team member - had lodged separate police reports.
"Investigations revealed on Apr 29, a trailer laden with scrap metal from Balakang, Selangor was travelling to Kuantan and is believed to have spilled some of its load along the highway. Police managed to track down the trailer driver about 8pm on May 1.
"The driver, a local man, had his statement recorded at the Bentong traffic police headquarters about 2pm yesterday. The case is investigated under Rule 19 LN 166/59 of the Road Traffic Rules (load to be secured)," he said in a statement.
Zaiham said no vehicle drivers or passengers were injured in the incidents and only the car tyres were damaged.
He urged witnesses who were at the scene to come forward to assist police investigations and advised those ferrying goods to ensure their loads are properly secured and does not pose a threat to other road users.
The incident went viral after several road users posted images of their damaged tyres along with the sharp metal objects on social media.