Resident's Mercedes Valet Parking... Security Guard Involved in 12-Car Collision 'No Charges'

Yeongdeungpo Police Station, Investigation Closed Before Booking

The police have decided not to prosecute the security guard who caused an accident while moving a resident's Mercedes-Benz vehicle. They determined that there are no applicable criminal law provisions, and that the issue should be resolved through civil proceedings.

According to the Chosun Ilbo and other sources, the Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul announced on the 24th that they did not apply charges of violating the Road Traffic Act against security guard A (77) and closed the investigation before formal indictment last month. This means the case will not proceed to the police investigation stage.

A security guard, Mr. A, who hit 12 cars while valet parking a resident's Mercedes, wrote a personal statement.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Earlier, security guard A, who works at an apartment complex in Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, caused an accident by repeatedly hitting 12 parked vehicles while valet parking a resident's car.

At the time of the accident, the Mercedes-Benz vehicle that A was valet parking reportedly surged backward once with the brake lights on, and then surged forward hitting the cars without the gear shift being operated. Additionally, A lost his job due to the accident and is still known to be unemployed.

In response, A claimed sudden unintended acceleration, and the Mercedes-Benz owner B also expressed the same position, filing a lawsuit worth hundreds of millions of won against the car manufacturer, which is currently ongoing.

A police official explained to the Chosun Ilbo the reason for not prosecuting A, stating, "The inside of the apartment complex is not considered a 'road,' and since this is an exceptional case and not an accident caused by drunk driving or hit-and-run, it cannot be punished under the Road Traffic Act." They added, "Under criminal law, property damage is punishable only if intentional, so ultimately only civil compensation issues remain."

Meanwhile, A’s side filed a petition for evidence preservation against Mercedes-Benz Korea at the Seoul Central District Court, and the court approved the petition on the 13th.