▲ Scene just before the hit-and-run accident involving an elementary school student in Namyangju
In Namyangju City, Gyeonggi Province, a hit-and-run driver in his 50s who struck an elementary school student crossing a crosswalk was found to have been driving under the influence of alcohol.
It was identified that there were two passengers in the vehicle at the time.
Today (the 15th), Namyangju South Police Station announced that they have launched a non-arrest investigation against a man in his 50s, known as Mr. A, on charges of hit-and-run under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes and drunk driving under the Road Traffic Act.
Mr. A is accused of hitting a 9-year-old elementary school student, known as B, with his Genesis vehicle while making a right turn at an intersection in Dasan-dong, Namyangju, at around 7:40 PM on the 9th, and fleeing the scene.
B was transported to the hospital but remains in critical condition, having not yet regained consciousness.
Immediately after the accident, police attempted to track the vehicle using its license plate but faced difficulty identifying the driver as it was a corporate lease vehicle.
Using a search warrant on the leasing company, Mr. A was identified, and he reported to the police voluntarily at 5:55 PM the day after the accident, on the 10th.
In the police investigation, Mr. A stated, “I was driving, but I was unaware of the accident occurring.”
The police, suspecting Mr. A of drunk driving at the time of the accident, traced his movements and confirmed that he drank with two acquaintances before boarding the vehicle with them.
Subsequently, evidence of drinking was secured through the vehicle’s black box, CCTV, and credit card transaction records.
Under police questioning, Mr. A eventually confessed to driving under the influence.
The police determined that Mr. A’s vehicle violated traffic signals and struck B with the left bumper while B was crossing the crosswalk with the pedestrian signal, and then ran over him.
The two passengers are also being investigated by the police and reportedly stated, “We did not know about the accident.”
Police have requested a detailed analysis from the National Forensic Service to confirm Mr. A’s alcohol consumption and blood alcohol level and are investigating whether to apply charges of aiding and abetting drunk driving to the passengers.
A police official stated, “Although Mr. A admitted to drinking, we need to see the results from the forensic analysis to conclude,” adding that “the decision on arrest will be made based on the overall investigation results.”
The father of the victimized child expressed anger over the phone, saying, “The accident happened while my child was returning home after finishing classes at an academy. He was wearing a white jumper and carrying a backpack, with tire marks found on the bag. The claim that the driver didn’t know about the accident is not understandable.”
He added, “If Mr. A is not arrested in this case, it could become a ‘non-arrest model answer’ for all future hit-and-run perpetrators. The child is still unconscious and has undergone an initial surgery for facial fractures.”
(Photo provided by the victim’s family, Yonhap News)