Surabaya Hit-and-Run Suspect Admits Drinking Seven Glasses of Alcohol

ENR (32), the suspect in a fatal hit-and-run case near Grahadi State Building in Surabaya in the early hours of Sunday (23/8), has finally spoken. She admitted to driving under the influence of alcohol after attending an entertainment event.

Before investigators and journalists, ENR said that at the time of the incident she had just returned from a party at an entertainment venue. She stated that she had consumed a considerable amount of alcoholic drinks before deciding to drive.

“From the party venue. From around that area. I drank seven glasses of alcohol, a quarter each,” ENR said at the Surabaya Police Traffic Unit office on Monday (24/8).

The suspect went to and from the party alone, without any companions. She insisted on driving her own car because she did not fully realise how intoxicated she was.

“I went alone and drove home alone. I myself was not aware that I was drunk. As a drunk person, I was not conscious,” she said.

The disaster began when her vehicle struck a parked electric taxi on Jalan Taman Apsari. ENR claimed she panicked and was afraid of the reaction of residents at the first scene.

Because of that, instead of stopping to take responsibility, ENR chose to flee towards Jalan Gubernur Suryo, which led to a second fatal accident in which she struck and killed a person.

“Yes, because I was afraid after grazing the taxi and being chased by a crowd, I was afraid of being attacked by the mob. I tried to escape but instead an accident happened that killed someone,” she said.

Regarding the video footage widely circulated on social media, in which she appeared emotional and resisted residents when she was detained, ENR admitted she had lost consciousness at the time.

She now says she feels ashamed and deeply regrets all her actions that resulted in the loss of another person’s life.

“Because I was not conscious. I was not aware of it. I was also shocked by my own behaviour. So I am ashamed. I myself do not remember. I regret it. I deeply regret it,” ENR said.

ENR also conveyed a direct apology to the family of the deceased victim. She claimed the accident occurred purely because she was not fully conscious.

“To the victim’s family, as the suspect in the collision, I apologise as sincerely as possible. I was not conscious, I did not know. If I had been conscious and known there was a person, it would not have happened like that. I apologise as sincerely as possible to the family of the victim who has been left behind,” ENR said.

Previously, Surabaya Police had officially named a 32-year-old housewife with the initials ENR as a suspect in the fatal hit-and-run case near Grahadi State Building in Surabaya on Sunday (23/8).

Head of the Traffic Accident Unit at Surabaya Police, First Inspector Sulthon NA, said the incident began when the suspect was driving a white car with registration number L 1049 OO and struck a parked electric taxi on Jalan Taman Apsari.

From the first scene, ENR fled towards Jalan Gubernur Suryo and then struck a person who was behind a pickup truck.

Sulthon said that after leaving the first scene, ENR admitted she panicked and was afraid of the reaction of residents around the accident site. She then continued to speed away until the second incident occurred. At the time of the incident, the suspect was driving while intoxicated after returning from a night entertainment venue.

Based on the results of further examination, police confirmed that the suspect was driving under the influence of alcohol. Officers carried out a direct check after the suspect was detained.

“In our examination we carried out a breathalyser test, and the result was positive for alcohol, but in the urine test we checked for narcotics and none were found,” he said.

Sulthon also revealed the level of alcohol in the suspect’s body, which exceeded reasonable limits.

“An examination using the breathalyser method has been carried out. Her alcohol level was 1.06 percent,” he said.

Sulthon stressed that the case would be dealt with firmly in accordance with applicable laws. The suspect is charged under multiple articles with a maximum penalty of six years in prison.

“We have charged the perpetrator under Article 310 paragraph 4 in conjunction with Article 106 paragraph 1, with a maximum penalty of six years in prison. And we have also applied Article 312 in conjunction with Article 231 because at the time of the incident she fled,” he said.