Hospital Investigation for 2 Hours... Repeated Claims of Sudden Acceleration
Final Judgment After Detailed Analysis by NFS and Others
Officials from Namdaemun Police Station visiting the hospital where the driver involved in the City Hall Station traffic accident is admitted [Image source=Yonhap News]
Cha Mo (68), the driver involved in the wrong-way driving accident at Seoul City Hall Station, underwent his first police interrogation. It has been three days since the accident occurred.
The Seoul Namdaemun Police Station visited Seoul National University Hospital, where Cha is hospitalized, at around 2:45 PM to conduct the first suspect interrogation. Four police traffic investigators questioned him in the hospital room with his lawyer present for about two hours until 4:50 PM.
Cha sustained a fractured rib in the accident and was initially taken to the emergency room before being transferred to a general ward for treatment. Until now, the police had only provided close personal protection, considering that Cha was unable to give proper statements.
During the interrogation, Cha reiterated his claim that "I pressed the brake at the time of the accident, but it felt hard," suggesting sudden unintended acceleration due to a malfunction in the vehicle. He stated that the vehicle suddenly accelerated, and despite pressing the brake, it did not work, leading to the accident.
A police official said, "Considering the suspect's health condition, the interrogation was conducted, and we plan to proceed with follow-up investigations after consulting with the suspect and his lawyer."
The police reportedly focused on hearing Cha’s account of the circumstances before and after the accident rather than conducting a full-scale interrogation, as this was the first investigation and Cha’s condition has not yet fully recovered.
In future investigations, the police are expected to inquire about the basis for Cha’s claim of sudden unintended acceleration, whether there were any issues during normal vehicle operation, and why he entered the wrong-way road.
Since it was confirmed that Cha accelerated from the moment he exited the hotel parking lot, the police are also likely to ask about the reason for the acceleration, any sudden situations, and the surroundings before he got into the car.
Reasons for turning onto the sidewalk while driving the wrong way and whether any measures were taken to avoid the accident will also be investigated.
Earlier, the police summoned Cha’s wife, A (in her 60s), who was also in the car at the time of the accident, on the 2nd for a first round of questioning as a witness. Like Cha, she testified that "the brakes and braking system seemed not to work."
The police also conducted an on-site inspection with the National Forensic Service (NFS) to determine the cause of the accident.
Using equipment such as 3D scanners, measurements and simulations were carried out from the underground parking lot of the hotel near City Hall Station, where Cha’s vehicle began driving the wrong way, to the City Hall Station intersection where the vehicle crashed into pedestrians after veering onto the sidewalk.
So far, preliminary police investigations have revealed some circumstances that contradict the claim of sudden unintended acceleration.
Analysis of the event data recorder (EDR) from the Genesis G80 driven by Cha indicates that he pressed the accelerator pedal strongly just before the accident. CCTV footage analysis also confirmed that the auxiliary brake lights were not on while the vehicle was driving the wrong way.
The police are keeping multiple possibilities open, including vehicle and mechanical defects, and will make a final determination on sudden unintended acceleration after receiving detailed analysis results from the NFS and other expert agencies.
The police have sent the G80 vehicle and its EDR data, black box footage from the G80 and the damaged vehicles?a BMW and a Sonata?as well as CCTV footage from the hotel and the accident scene to the NFS and other credible external expert institutions for detailed forensic examination and appraisal.
Meanwhile, it was revealed belatedly that the first alcohol test on Cha was conducted not at the accident scene as initially reported, but at the hospital about an hour and a half after the accident.
Immediately after the accident, an attempt was made to test Cha for alcohol, but it was not possible because he had severe chest injuries and could not breathe properly. The test was only possible after he was transported to the hospital and his breathing stabilized, according to the police.
A police official said, "The blood alcohol level would not have dropped significantly during the transfer to the hospital," adding, "Subsequent blood tests also showed negative results for alcohol consumption."
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