Taxi Driver in Jonggak Station Collision That Left 15 Dead or Injured Tests Negative for Drugs

It has been confirmed that no controlled substances were detected in the taxi driver who caused a collision near Jonggak Station in Seoul, resulting in 15 casualties.

On the 2nd, a taxi driver who caused a collision during rush hour in downtown Seoul, resulting in one death, is entering the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu on the 5th to undergo a pre-trial detention hearing on charges including causing death and injury under the Special Act on Traffic Accident Handling, driving under the influence of drugs under the Road Traffic Act, and dangerous driving causing death and injury under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes. Photo by Yonhap News

On the 7th, the National Forensic Service notified the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency the previous afternoon that all substances regulated under the Narcotics Control Act tested negative in a detailed drug test conducted on the taxi driver, a man in his 70s surnamed Lee.

Accordingly, the police plan to drop the charge of driving under the influence of drugs against Lee.

After the accident, a preliminary drug test showed a positive result for morphine, prompting the police to apply the charge of driving under the influence of drugs and request an arrest warrant for Lee.

However, the court dismissed the warrant, stating, "Given the driving distance and Lee's condition, there is room for dispute as to whether Lee consumed the substances listed in the warrant or whether the accident was caused by drug use."

On January 2 at approximately 6:07 p.m., Lee caused a three-vehicle collision while driving an electric taxi near Jonggak Station after suddenly accelerating. A female pedestrian in her 40s died, and 14 people, including Lee himself, were injured.