Went Viral! Klaten Official Plate Car Intercepting An Ambulance, Ended With Apology At Police Station

The Avanza driver with the Klaten official plate and the ambulance driver shaking hands at the Klaten Police Headquarters/DOC KLATEN POLICE

KLATEN - The viral case of an ambulance intercepted by an Avanza car with an official license plate in Klaten, Central Java, ended peacefully. RK (21), the ambulance driver, and YS (35), the official car driver, shook hands and expressed forgiveness.

Head of Traffic Unit Police Commissioner Adjutant Guntur Sulatiasto, explained that based on the results of the clarification, it was found that in the incident there were no incidents of ambush as was the opinion circulating in the community. What actually happened was that the two cars got stuck and faced each other due to the traffic situation.

"This incident was purely due to a misunderstanding between the ambulance driver and the Avanza. There was no intentional element. The two cars were stuck in the right lane because the Avanza car had no chance to pull over," said Police Commissioner Adjutant Guntur, quoted from a written statement by the Klaten Police, Monday, 1 November.

This viral incident began when an ambulance traveling from the direction of Solo intended to ask for priority by entering the right lane to take the red plate Avanza car that came from the direction of Yogyakarta.

Several cars in front of the Avanza could move to the left. However, Avanza has not been able to go to the left because the distance is too close to the position of the ambulance.

While on the left side there is a line of cars leading to Klaten City, including behind the Avanza there are also vehicles.

"After the vehicle behind the Avanza car turned left and was able to walk straight towards Klaten City, including the one on the left it was loose, then the Avanza car tried to walk backward first and then rocked to the left," continued Police Commissioner Adjutant Guntur.

Regarding the many questions from netizens, there were no other cars in the video, Kasat then said that the ambulance passengers recorded the video after the ambulance driver got off.

By the time the recording started, the position of another car that was beside and behind the red plate Avanza had already managed to pass.

"The initial process of the car on the side and rear of the red plate Avanza trying to escape has not been videoed yet. So in the video, it looks as if the official car is blocking even though they are both trapped," he explained.

RK, the ambulance driver agrees. He mentioned previously that there were indeed several vehicles beside and behind the red plate Avanza which caused the red plate Avanza to not be able to pull over or give way to the ambulance.

"The uploaded video is not the initial video of the chronology. In fact, there are events that have not been recorded, in the sense that the red plate Avanza car is actually full on the left and rear. But the video looks empty because (the video was made) has been a while after the incident," said RK at the Klaten Police Headquarters.

RK also said that his party was bringing a traffic accident patient. However, he said the patient was not in an emergency condition. The patient was brought from PMI Klaten after undergoing treatment at his home in the Jogonalan area.

"It's true that we brought the patient in a calm condition, not critical or not an emergency," said RK.

Meanwhile, YS, the driver of the state-owned Avanza confirmed the explanation given by Head of Traffic and RK. He later apologized for what happened.

"Because I couldn't turn left to prioritize the ambulance, I apologize. This was not intentional to obstruct the ambulance," YS said.