Couple Tragedy as SUV Charges at Rest Area on Return Trip... 70s Driver Claims 'Sudden Acceleration'

Wife in her 50s Dies, Husband Seriously Injured

On the way back home for Chuseok, an accident occurred at a highway rest area where a vehicle driven by a driver in his 70s hit a couple in their 50s, resulting in the wife’s death and the husband sustaining serious injuries.

According to the Chungbuk Provincial Police Agency on the 3rd, at 7:03 p.m. on the 1st, an SUV driven by Mr. A (71) collided with two pedestrians inside the Ochang Rest Area (Hanam direction) on the Jungbu Expressway in Hwasan-ri, Ochang-eup, Cheongwon-gu, Cheongju City. As a result of the accident, a woman in her 50s who was trapped under the vehicle died, and her husband was seriously injured and is receiving treatment at a hospital.

It is known that the couple was crossing the road to go to a convenience store after parking their car at the rest area when the accident occurred.

The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article.

The SUV driven by Mr. A hit the couple and then, without slowing down, crashed into three other vehicles parked at the rest area before finally coming to a stop. Alcohol tests confirmed that Mr. A was not under the influence of alcohol.

Mr. A was not seriously injured and reportedly told the police that "the car suddenly surged forward due to sudden unintended acceleration."

The police are investigating the exact circumstances of the accident by securing witness statements, vehicle black box footage, and other related evidence.