ZHENGZHOU - A police officer held responsible for killing five people and injuring three more in a road accident in central China had been officially arrested, local authorities said Sunday.

Wang Yinpeng, head of the police station in Liangzhu township in Runan county, Henan province, has been charged with "endangering public security by dangerous means" after running his police van into two street lamp poles in Liangzhu at about 2:40 pm Saturday. He is suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol, the county publicity department said in a statement.

The poles fell, crushing to death four passersby near the county's bus station and injuring another four at the scene. One of those injured died in hospital later.

The three other injured people are in stable conditions.

The accident has triggered a public outcry on Weibo.com, China's popular Twitter-like microblogging service, after pictures posted on the site showed gruesome scenes in the aftermath of the crash.

Wang could be given a death penalty if convicted.

The county's public security bureau has set up a special group to investigate the incident.