A 36-year-old woman died after she was believed to have suffered a heart attack while driving before her vehicle crashed into two motorcycles parked outside a restaurant along Jalan Macalister, Penang, on Thursday.
The incident outside Yummy Cottage Restaurant was widely circulated on social media, prompting questions over the condition of the woman and whether motorcycle riders had been involved in the crash.
However, Timur Laut district police chief Assistant Commissioner Abdul Rozak Muhammad clarified that preliminary investigations found the accident involved only the woman, who was driving the multi-purpose vehicle (MPV).
He said both motorcycles were unoccupied at the time of the incident and had been parked beside the restaurant.
“The victim died while receiving treatment at Penang Hospital and is believed to have suffered a heart attack during the incident,” he said in a statement on Thursday.
Abdul Rozak added that a post-mortem examination would be conducted soon to determine the exact cause of the woman’s death. A police report was also lodged on the same day.
The case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
The incident had earlier sparked concern online after witnesses reportedly said the woman appeared to be unconscious following the crash.
According to witnesses, the woman’s husband rushed to the scene after being informed about the incident and attempted to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on her for around 20 minutes in an effort to save her.
The husband and several friends were also heard repeatedly urging her to wake up, telling her that her children were waiting for her.
Police have since clarified that no motorcycle riders were involved in the collision, with both motorcycles simply being parked at the roadside when the woman’s vehicle crashed into them.
