Tollbooth incident sparks huge riot

Guangzhou, China, Nov. 16 (UPI) -- Police are searching for suspects who incited a riot over bridge tolls in south China's Guangdong province last week, leaving one dead and several injured.

The riot broke out around 9:00 p.m Wednesday in the city of Jieyang after a woman argued with toll collectors that they had overcharged her, the South China Morning Post reported Tuesday.

Witnesses said the woman had been beaten by tollbooth operators, which drew an angry crowd who set fire to the tollbooth and threw rocks at police and firefighters.

A teenage boy was killed and an elderly man injured by a fire engine as it arrived at the scene. This caused the crowd to swell to thousands, with some 20,000 looking on, news reports said. Several people were injured and five people arrested. Another 12 were detained later. Order was restored around 11:40 p.m.

Those arrested remain in custody, and the city Public Security Department has asked people involved in the incident to turn themselves in by Tuesday or risk severe repercussions.