"Recognized Causing Traffic Accident but Drank Alcohol..."
A man in his 30s who caused a fatal hit-and-run accident while driving a Maserati corporate vehicle in downtown Gwangju admitted to drinking before the accident to the police.
On the 27th, the Gwangju Western Police Station transported Mr. A, the 30-year-old Maserati driver who was urgently arrested on charges of hit-and-run causing death or injury under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, from Seoul for investigation.
On the afternoon of the 25th, officials from the National Forensic Service conducted a detailed examination of the Maserati involved in the 'drunk hit-and-run fatal accident' at the Gwangju Seobu Police Station. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Mr. A is suspected of hitting a motorcycle ahead of him while driving a Maserati passenger car registered under a Seoul-based corporation on a road in Hwajeong-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju, at around 3:11 a.m. on the 24th. As a result of this accident, among the two motorcycle riders in their 20s who were in a romantic relationship, the female passenger died, and the male passenger was seriously injured. The male was a delivery worker in the area and was reportedly on his way home with his girlfriend after finishing work when the accident occurred.
The police secured statements from acquaintances who said they drank with Mr. A and plan to add charges for violating the Road Traffic Act. Mr. A reportedly stated during the police investigation, "I was aware that I caused the traffic accident, but I had been drinking and fled because I was scared of the police sirens." The police intend to apply the Widmark method to retrospectively calculate blood alcohol concentration over time and investigate the amount of alcohol consumed before the accident.
The police are also investigating the circumstances of the escape with Mr. B and Mr. C, both in their 30s, who were booked on charges of aiding the escape. They are suspected of helping Mr. A travel to Daejeon or move to Seoul. It was found that Mr. A abandoned the Maserati at the scene immediately after the accident and fled, then received a burner phone from Mr. C to confuse the police investigation.
The Criminal Mobile Unit of the Gwangju Police Agency tracked Mr. A based on dental clinic records and mobile phone location information system (GPS) data from a dental clinic in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, and arrested him on the night of the 26th, two days after the escape.
A police official said, "Mr. A tested negative in a simple drug test," and added, "We are also investigating how he came to drive the car registered under the Seoul-based corporation and Mr. A’s occupation."
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