Investigations continue to determine the cause of Monday’s deadly car crash in central Seoul that killed nine people.
Choi Soo-hyung has the latest.
After a devastating scene in downtown Seoul on Monday night the police took the driver in on charges of accidental homicide which falls under violations of the special act on the settlement of traffic accidents.
A car driven by a 68-year-old driver plowed into a group of pedestrians waiting at a crosswalk, killing 9 people and injuring 4 others near Seoul City Hall.
The driver, who has more than 40 years of experience as a city bus driver, is blaming sudden unintended acceleration.
In a later briefing, the police stated that the driver was negative in all quick drug tests and had been taken to hospital due to injuries he himself suffered in the crash.
Analysis will be carried out by the National Forensic Service on the driver’s vehicle, footage from nearby CCTV cameras and the car’s dash cam, as well as statements from witnesses.
“We specifically checked whether or not he was drinking, and it is understood that he was not under the influence of alcohol.”
They added that they are considering all possibilities, including a mistake or driver error.
One expert said that the driver did not try to avoid the pedestrians as you would in the case of a sudden acceleration, adding that the deadly incident could have been caused by a mistake or carelessness.
The vehicle was also seen driving in the wrong direction, and collided with two vehicles before hitting people.
Investigators are not fully ruling out the possibility of issues within the car, considering the speed involved, reportedly 100 kilometers per hour.
However, analysis from the National Forensic Service using its event data recorder system can take up to two months.
Choi Soo-hyung, Arirang News.
Source : Arirang TV, https://www.arirang.com/news/view?id=272776
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