50s Bus Driver Who Hit and Ran Over Taxi Declared 'Not Guilty' Due to Preexisting Condition

Cheongju District Court / Photo by Cheongju District Court website capture

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Seong-yeol] A bus driver in his 50s who hit a taxi waiting at a red light and fled the scene was acquitted due to a pre-existing medical condition.

The Cheongju District Court Criminal Division 1 (Presiding Judge Go Seung-il) announced on the 12th that A (54), who was indicted for violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (hit-and-run causing injury) and the Road Traffic Act (failure to take measures after an accident), was found not guilty.

The court explained, "The defendant was diagnosed shortly after the accident with symptomatic epilepsy related to focal partial seizures (focal and partial) accompanied by complex partial seizures and epileptic syndrome."

It added, "In such cases, loss of consciousness can occur during epileptic seizures, and at that time, the defendant may not remember the occurrence of the accident despite causing it."

Furthermore, "Considering that the taxi did not move after the accident, A honked the horn and continued driving, which is not typical behavior for fleeing the scene; that A reported to the police after a considerable time, mistakenly believing the damage occurred while parked due to noticing the front part of the vehicle was damaged; the difficulty in finding any reason for fleeing other than memory loss; and witness statements that A was expressionless and staring straight ahead immediately after the accident, there is sufficient likelihood or possibility that A did not recognize the accident itself," the court stated as grounds for its judgment.

The court ruled, "Considering all circumstances related to the accident, it is difficult to conclude that the defendant intentionally fled or failed to take measures to remove traffic hazards or obstacles such as aiding the victim after recognizing the accident and left the scene."

Earlier, on April 22 of last year, at around 5:50 p.m., while driving a commuter bus on a road in Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk Province, A collided with a taxi driven by B (68).

As a result of the accident, taxi driver B and two passengers in the taxi each suffered injuries requiring three weeks of medical treatment, and the taxi was damaged. At the time, A fled the scene without taking any measures.

A few days after the accident, A suddenly lost consciousness and collapsed, and was diagnosed with a brain disease at a hospital.

The prosecution indicted A, claiming that he caused the accident, failed to take necessary measures, and fled the scene.

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