Red Bull Heir Accused of Killing Cop Still Lives in Luxury

The Ferrari driver who allegedly slammed into a motorcycle cop, dragged him along the road and then sped away from the mangled body took just hours to find, as investigators followed a trail of brake fluid into the gated estate of one of Thailand's richest families. The prosecution of Red Bull heir Vorayuth "Boss" Yoovidhya, however, has been delayed for close to five years. The times when Vorayuth has been called in on charges over the Sept. 3, 2012, incident that killed police Sgt. Maj. Wichean Glanprasert, he hasn't shown up, claiming he was sick or out of the country on business. It's been widely assumed that he's been in hiding. He hasn't. The AP has found Vorayuth was back to enjoying his family's jet-set life within weeks of the accident, and has been to at least nine countries since then.

He flies around the world on private Red Bull jets and cheers their Formula One racing team from Red Bull's VIP seats. Just last month, Vorayuth and his family vacationed at a $1,000-a-night resort in Luang Prabang, Laos. A speeding charge Vorayuth faced has now expired. The more serious charge of deadly hit-and-run, which carries a maximum six-month sentence, expires in September. Police say they're doing everything they can—Vorayuth has been summoned again and is due at the prosecutors' office Thursday—but an arrest warrant has not been issued as is normal when people don't show up for court. One expert says it's simply a sign of Thailand's "culture of impunity" for people of wealth or influence: "This happens so often." Read the full story for more on Vorayuth's activities at places like Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Osaka. (More Thailand stories.)