Three Dead and Eleven Seriously Injured in Accident
Police: "Serious Case with Risk of Flight and Evidence Destruction"
The police have applied for an arrest warrant for the driver who caused 14 casualties while driving a rental van in Udo, Jeju.
On November 26, the Jeju Eastern Police Station announced that it had applied for an arrest warrant for driver A (62), who was urgently apprehended on charges of violating the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Settlement of Traffic Accidents (causing death or injury). The police explained, "Due to the seriousness of the case, as well as concerns about flight risk and evidence destruction, we have applied for an arrest warrant."
On the morning of the 26th, rental car company officials are organizing the damaged vehicles at the accident site at Cheonjin Port, Udo-myeon, Jeju-si. Photo by Yonhap News
A is accused of causing an accident at 2:47 p.m. on November 24 at Cheonjin Port, Udo-myeon, Jeju City, by driving a Staria van that had just disembarked from a ferry at high speed and striking pedestrians.
As a result of the accident, three people were killed: a woman in her 60s who was in the rental car, a man in his 70s, and a man in his 60s who were walking along the road. Ten others sustained serious or moderate injuries. Later, Jeju City updated the number of injured to 11, including a guardian of a patient who was airlifted for treatment.
According to witnesses, the accident vehicle suddenly accelerated with a loud engine sound shortly after disembarking from the ferry, sped for about 150 meters, and caused the accident. After turning left off the ferry, the vehicle immediately accelerated and hit people walking on the road. It reportedly continued to run before finally stopping after crashing into a road sign pole next to the waiting room.
On the 25th, officials from the Jeju branch of the National Forensic Service conducted an on-site inspection of the rental van that caused over 10 casualties the previous day at Cheonjin Port in Udo, Jeju City. Photo by Yonhap News
A, who sustained minor injuries, was urgently apprehended at the hospital where he was admitted at 9:34 p.m. on the day of the accident. Police investigations confirmed that A was not under the influence of alcohol. A claims that the vehicle "suddenly increased RPM and moved forward on its own," asserting that the incident was caused by sudden unintended acceleration.
The police are conducting a detailed inspection of the rental vehicle in cooperation with the National Forensic Service and the Korea Road Traffic Authority, with a focus on analyzing the Event Data Recorder (EDR) to determine whether there were any defects in the vehicle, such as sudden unintended acceleration.
A police official stated, "Based on dashcam and CCTV footage from surrounding vehicles secured so far, the rear brake lights of the accident vehicle did not turn on. As the driver claims sudden unintended acceleration, we are conducting an epidemiological investigation and collecting evidence. So far, no indications of sudden unintended acceleration have been found."
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