Tragedy strikes on the Seohaean Expressway with a secondary collision leaving two dead and nine injured
A tragic incident unfolded on the Seohaean Expressway in the early morning hours, resulting in the deaths of a police officer and a tow truck driver, and leaving nine others, including paramedics, seriously injured. Despite the presence of a patrol car, tow truck, and ambulance with their warning lights on, a second collision occurred, raising concerns about the scene’s safety management.
According to the Jeollabuk-do Police Agency and the Jeollabuk-do Fire Department, the initial accident occurred around 1:23 a.m. near the Gochang junction in Gochang County, Jeollabuk-do. A drunk driving incident led to a crash when a car, stationary in the first lane, was rear-ended by another vehicle.
Upon receiving the report, Inspector A (55) from the Jeollabuk-do Police Highway Patrol arrived at the scene and began investigating the incident’s particulars. Alongside him, tow truck operators and paramedics also arrived for accident recovery and injured personnel transport.
While they were working, an SUV, suspected of being driven by a drowsy driver, barreled into the accident site, striking Inspector A and the tow truck driver (in his 30s), resulting in their deaths.
In addition to the fatalities, nine others were injured, including two paramedics, the SUV driver B, four family members traveling with B, and passengers from another vehicle. They were taken to the hospital for treatment. Driver B reportedly told police he was driving while drowsy, although he was not under the influence of alcohol. A police official noted that the site was notable enough from a distance due to the gathered emergency vehicles. The police have charged B under the Special Act on Traffic Accident Handling for causing death and injury and are investigating the exact cause of the accident and accountability.