Driver involved in serious fatal car crash in South Korea faces manslaughter charge

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A driver whose car struck waiting pedestrians at a busy intersection in South Korea’s capital, killing nine people, is being investigated on charges of negligent homicide, police said Tuesday.

The car hit several people in central Seoul on Monday night after it reportedly drove in the wrong direction and collided with two other cars. Six other people were injured, including the driver, who was arrested.

The driver told investigators his car accelerated abruptly and unintentionally. Police said his car would be sent to the country’s forensic agency for examination.

Police said on Tuesday that tests showed the driver was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs. They will consider applying for a formal arrest warrant to extend his detention if necessary for the investigation.

Police refused to reveal the driver’s identity, citing privacy laws, but South Korean media reported that he was a bus driver in his late 60s from Ansan, a city south of Seoul, who had over 40 years of driving experience.

The Associated Press