Police seeking man who threw firecrackers into car after traffic dispute

Taipei, Oct. 15 (CNA) New Taipei police said they had identified but are still searching for a motorcyclist who threw firecrackers into another driver's car, setting it on fire, after a traffic dispute on Wednesday afternoon.

The New Taipei Police Department's Zhonghe Precinct said the dispute broke out after the car's driver slammed on the brakes, almost causing the motorcyclist to rear-end him, while making a right turn at the intersection of Zhongzheng Road and Jian 8th Road.

After the drivers continued to the next red light, the motorcyclist pulled up alongside the car to tell the driver off. The motorcyclist then threw a string of lit firecrackers into the vehicle's open window, causing it to go up in flames, the precinct said.

Police and firefighters called to the scene quickly extinguished the fire. The driver, surnamed Chen (陳), was not injured in the incident, but was nevertheless sent to Shuangho Hospital as a precaution, the precinct said.

Police said they had confirmed the identity of the motorcyclist and would bring him in for questioning once he was located.