Screening on the 30th
The prosecution filed an arrest warrant on the 26th for the driver involved in the wrong-way driving accident at Seoul City Hall Station that resulted in 9 deaths.
On the night of the 1st, accident recovery work is underway at the intersection near Seoul City Hall Station where a major traffic accident occurred. [Photo by Yonhap News]
According to the legal community, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office accepted the police's request on the same day and filed an arrest warrant for the driver, Mr. Cha (68), who caused the accident at City Hall Station.
The pre-arrest detention hearing (warrant substantive examination) to decide whether to detain Mr. Cha will be held at 10:30 a.m. on the 30th at the Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Chief Judge Kim Seok-beom, who is in charge of warrants.
Mr. Cha is accused of causing death by violating the Special Act on Traffic Accident Handling after driving his vehicle in the wrong direction and crashing onto the sidewalk near City Hall Station in Jung-gu, Seoul, at around 9:28 p.m. on the 1st. The accident resulted in 9 fatalities and 7 injuries, including Mr. Cha and his spouse. Investigations revealed that Mr. Cha’s vehicle exited the underground parking lot of the Chosun Hotel, drove against the one-way traffic, and struck pedestrians as well as two vehicles, a BMW and a Sonata.
The National Forensic Service concluded that the accident was highly likely caused by driver negligence, but Mr. Cha claims the accident was due to a vehicle defect. Considering the severity of the crime, the police applied for an arrest warrant from the prosecution on the 24th.
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