The police, who are investigating the car crash in Seoul that killed nine people and injured six others, announced that they have charged the driver, Mr. Cha (68), with violating the Special Traffic Accident Law.
On the previous day, Cha, who tested negative for alcohol and drugs immediately after the accident, claimed several times that the accident was caused by sudden unintended acceleration (SUA).
However, an official at the Namdaemun Police, who are investigating the case, stated, “So far, the only evidence of sudden unintended acceleration is the suspect’s statement,” and requested the National Forensic Service to examine Cha’s vehicle. He added, “Based on the electronic records left in the vehicle’s EDR (event data recorder), it appears that the accelerator pedal was pressed with more than 90% force just before the accident.”
According to the police, at around 9:26 PM on July. 1, Cha was driving his 2018 Genesis G80 vehicle out of the underground parking lot of the Westin Chosun Hotel near City Hall Station. He then drove the wrong way on a four-lane one-way street and veered onto the left sidewalk.
The vehicle broke through a guardrail installed on the sidewalk and hit 11 pedestrians. It only came to a stop after a series of collisions with two other vehicles. The distance he drove in the wrong direction was about 200 meters.
Many of the casualties were either attending a gathering nearby or returning home from work when the tragedy occurred. All the deceased were male office workers in their 30s to 50s. Four bank employees who were standing on the sidewalk after a dinner celebrating a colleague’s promotion and reassignment were among the victims.
The police are investigating the cause of the accident, considering various possibilities such as driver negligence or vehicle defects, based on witness statements, surveillance camera footage from the accident site, and the black box and EDR from the vehicle. In particular, the EDR analysis is crucial evidence for determining the vehicle’s speed at the time of the accident.
A police official stated, “We cannot rule out the possibility of sudden unintended acceleration based on the EDR data alone, so we will wait for the detailed forensic analysis results from the National Forensic Service.” The police are also considering applying for an arrest warrant for Cha.
Cha is a bus driver employed by a bus company in Ansan, Gyeonggi-do, and has held a bus license since 1974, driving buses and trailers. Cha’s wife, who was in the vehicle with him, said, “My husband has never even had a minor accident before. We are deeply sorry to the victims’ families.”
