A grandson of Red Bull’s late co-creator Chaleo Yoovidhaya has been arrested on suspicion of running over a policeman with a Ferrari in Bangkok.
The Thai police officer died after he and his motorbike were dragged some distance down a road.
Police said they had followed a petrol trail to the family estate where they detained Vorayuth Yoovidhaya, 27.
Bangkok’s police chief took over the inquiry as a lower-ranked officer was alleged to have covered up the matter.
The police superintendent involved was transferred to another post after a bogus suspect was detained.
Vorayuth Yoovidhaya was led away from the family home as police inspected a dark grey-coloured Ferrari sports car with a dented front bumper, a crumpled bonnet and a damaged windscreen.
The officer killed, 47-year-old Sgt Maj Wichean Glanprasert, had suffered a broken neck and multiple broken bones, the Bangkok Post reported.
The suspect’s grandfather, Chaleo Yoovidhaya, died earlier this year, having built up an estimated $5.4bn (£3.4bn, 4.5bn euros) fortune from the worldwide sale of the Red Bull energy drink, which he established in partnership with Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz.
Police chief Lt Gen Comronwit Toopgrajank himself went to the family’s estate on Monday as part of the investigation.
“A policeman is dead. I can’t let this stand. I don’t care how powerful they are. If I can’t get the actual man in this case, I will resign,” he told reporters, according to AP news agency.
The Red Bull heir is facing a charge of causing death by driving and failing to stop at the scene and could face 10 years in jail.
