Fleeing bus driver takes Vietnam cop on wild ride

[April 13, 2012]  HANOI, Vietnam (AP) -- A Vietnamese traffic cop went on a wild ride in Hanoi, clinging to the windshield wipers of a moving bus for nearly a kilometer (0.62 miles) after the rogue driver tried to avoid a ticket, police said Friday.

Traffic police 2nd Lt. Nguyen Manh Phan ordered the bus driver to pull over the 39-seat passenger coach Monday, said a police officer in Ba Vi District outside Hanoi. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity, citing policy.

The driver allegedly refused to show his paperwork and drove off -- but not before Phan leaped onto the front, he added. The officer said the bus reached a top speed of about 50 kilometers per hour (31 mph).

A YouTube video shows the officer trying to get his footing and dangling precariously from the moving bus as oncoming traffic whizzes past. Phan can be heard yelling, "Call the police!"

The driver, Phung Hong Phuong, eventually pulled over after being chased by police and residents.

Even with the bus stopped, Phan stood calmly in front of it, still hanging on to the wipers.

Phuong was arrested for allegedly acting against public officials, an offense that carries a maximum three-year prison sentence, the officer said. He previously served nearly four years in prison for a fatal traffic accident, and was released in 2010.

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Online:

Video on YouTube: http://bit.ly/IsdX2n

[Associated Press; By TRAN VAN MINH]

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