Cargo Truck Driver Booked for Fatally Striking Elderly Pedestrian in City Center and Fleeing Scene

Police Investigate Whether Driver Was Aware of the Accident

A truck driver who struck and killed a pedestrian in his 80s while driving a large cargo truck at night and left the scene without offering significant aid has been apprehended by the police.

Jeonnam Gwangju West Police Station exterior.

On August 15, the Gwangju Seobu Police Station announced that they have booked a man in his 40s, who drove a 6.5-ton cargo truck (referred to as Mr. A), without physical detention, on charges of hit-and-run resulting in death under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes.

Mr. A is accused of striking and fatally injuring an 80-something-year-old man (Mr. B) who was crossing the street with a 6.5-ton truck at around 8:40 p.m. the previous day, on a one-way street with five lanes near the Pungam intersection in Maewol-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju, then fleeing the scene.

When emergency responders arrived at the scene at the time of the accident, Mr. B was already deceased. The location where Mr. B was found did not have a crosswalk, but it was confirmed that there was a crosswalk further ahead in the same direction.

The police conducted a detailed analysis of the closed-circuit (CC) TV cameras in the vicinity and successfully identified both the suspect vehicle and Mr. A.

Immediately after the accident, Mr. A had left Gwangju and traveled to Goryeong, North Gyeongsang Province; during a phone call with the police, he admitted to passing through the scene at the relevant time. He later voluntarily appeared at a nearby local police station to undergo an initial investigation.

As a result of the investigation, Mr. A was found not to be driving without a license, and tests showed no evidence of alcohol or drug use. During police questioning, Mr. A reportedly stated, "The truck is extremely large, so I had no idea an accident had occurred."

The police are continuing to investigate the exact circumstances of the accident, including whether Mr. A fled despite being aware of the incident.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.