Police request arrest warrant for truck driver over deadly crash at market
This photo shows the aftermath of a fatal truck crash at a market in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. Yonhap
Police said Friday they requested a warrant to arrest a truck driver accused of causing a deadly crash in a traditional market near Seoul the previous day that killed two people and injured 19 others.
The accident occurred at Jeil Market in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, late Thursday morning, when the 67-year-old driver's 1-ton truck plowed through the market's narrow passage for more than 130 meters. Of the 21 casualties, only two are market vendors, and the remaining 19 are customers.
The truck was found to have reversed 1 to 2 meters before speeding 132 meters down the market passage before coming to a halt, according to the Bucheon Ojeong Police Station, which filed the arrest warrant request.
Police also confirmed through the vehicle's pedal dashcam that the driver stepped on the accelerator pedal instead of the brake pedal at the time of the accident.
The driver is known to have suffered from chronic diseases, including moyamoya, a rare brain disorder, but he reportedly claimed that his ailments have nothing to do with driving and do not interfere with driving at all.
Police suspect that the accident was likely caused by the driver's misoperation of the pedals, rather than by sudden acceleration. The arrest warrant hearing is scheduled to be held at a Bucheon court Saturday, police said.