A pretrial detention hearing for a taxi driver in his 70s who caused a rear-end collision near Jonggak Station in Seoul that left 15 people dead or injured was held on the 5th.
Taxi driver A, who is suspected of death or injury under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Settlement of Traffic Accidents and drugged driving under the Road Traffic Act, arrived at the Seoul Central District Court at about 2:38 p.m. that day.
When reporters asked A, "Did you drive after taking prescription medicine?" and "Do you have anything to say to the victims and the bereaved families?", A did not answer and headed to the courtroom.
A is suspected of causing a multiple-vehicle collision while driving an electric taxi near Jonggak Station at about 6 p.m. on the 2nd. A female pedestrian in her 40s died in the crash, and 14 people, including A, were injured.
A rapid drug test conducted immediately after the crash detected morphine in A's system.
Police asked the National Forensic Service to conduct a detailed analysis of the medications A took. They are looking into the possibility that A caused the crash while taking prescription drugs, including cold medicine.
A decision on whether to detain A could come as early as the same day.