Suspect who scattered nails on road was on drugs and had mental health issues, say police

IPOH: The motorist who allegedly scattered nails on a road near Batu Gajah was under the influence of drugs and was not in cahoots with tow truck drivers, says the Perak police chief.

Asked for an update on the 45-year-old suspect's motives, Comm Datuk Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri said the man was also found to have mental health issues.

Police arrested him near Changkat Larang in Lahat at about 3am on Saturday.

"He is not a mechanic nor had he conspired with tow truck drivers (to cause road users to have flat tyres and need assistance)," he told reporters when met at the state police contingent headquarters here today.

"We believe the matter has been settled with the arrest but we will need one more day to complete the investigation paper before proceeding with the next course of action," he added.

A 24-sec video clip of the incident went viral on social media on Friday.

The man is believed to have scattered the nails near a traffic light junction on Jalan Ipoh-Lumut.

Police also received a report from a road user who claimed that his car tyre was punctured after driving on that stretch.