Sister's 청 Petition Angry Over 'Porsche Hallucination Speeding'..."Younger Brother, a Fitness Instructor, May Live with Disability"

"Porsche Driver Causes Accident After Drug Use and Attempts to Destroy Evidence... Requests Appropriate Punishment"

The scene of a 7-car pileup near the Jungdong Station intersection in Haeundae-gu, Busan, at around 5:43 p.m. on the 14th. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Ju-hyung] On the 18th, the family of a motorcycle rider who suffered serious injuries due to a seven-vehicle pileup caused by a so-called 'hallucinatory speeding' driver on a road in Haeundae, Busan, urged for severe punishment of the perpetrator, stating that the victim may have to live with a lifelong disability.

In particular, the victim was a promising fitness instructor but was reportedly involved in the accident while temporarily working as a delivery person due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

On the 18th, a petition demanding strict punishment for the Porsche driver who caused the seven-vehicle pileup in Haeundae was posted on the Blue House National Petition Board.

The petitioner, who claimed to be the elder sister of the injured motorcycle rider, wrote, "My younger brother was a well-known fitness instructor, but he was involved in this accident just as he was about to start a new job due to COVID-19," adding, "Even after two surgeries and several months of treatment, there is a possibility of permanent disability."

She continued, "While my brother was writhing in pain in the intensive care unit and worried about our elderly mother, asking not to inform her, the Porsche driver drove under the influence of drugs, caused the accident, and then attempted to destroy evidence," asserting, "This driver is a criminal and lawbreaker who cannot be tolerated by society."

She urged, "Please impose a punishment appropriate for the offender." As of 9 PM on the same day, the petition had received over 1,500 endorsements.

At around 5:43 PM on the 14th, a 7-vehicle pileup occurred at an intersection near Jungdong Station in Haeundae-gu, Busan, injuring seven people including the drivers. / Photo by Yonhap News

Earlier, at around 5:42 PM on the 14th, Mr. A, who was driving a Porsche after smoking marijuana on a road in Haeundae, caused a seven-vehicle pileup, damaging nine vehicles. Seven people sustained moderate to severe injuries and were transported to hospitals.

At the time, Mr. A's Porsche consecutively collided with a motorcycle and a passenger car at the intersection in front of E-Mart in Jung-dong, Haeundae-gu, and then struck a bus and Korando vehicles waiting at a red light on the opposite side of the road. The impact caused some vehicles to overturn, and the Porsche barely came to a stop after speeding.

Police investigations revealed that before the seven-vehicle pileup, Mr. A had already hit two vehicles on the road in front of Sponge in Haeundae and fled the scene.

Additionally, immediately after the accident, Mr. A attempted to destroy evidence while still in a hallucinatory state. Due to severe damage to the Porsche, the police could not retrieve the black box and sent the vehicle to a service center. Meanwhile, Mr. A had an acquaintance remove the black box from the vehicle first.

Later, when the police inquired about the whereabouts of the black box, Mr. A reportedly submitted it back to the police.

On the 16th, the police applied charges against Mr. A under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (Yoon Chang-ho Act), injury by dangerous driving, injury by drunk driving, and violation of the Narcotics Control Act, and requested a pre-trial detention warrant from the prosecution. Among these, the Yoon Chang-ho Act imposes heavier penalties on drivers who cause fatal accidents while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The Busan District Court Eastern Branch (Judge Kim Tae-woo, in charge of warrants) issued a detention warrant for Mr. A during a pre-trial detention hearing held on the 18th. The court explained the reason for issuing the warrant, stating, "Considering the nature and seriousness of the case, there is a risk of flight."