Illegal Modification Revealed in Delivery Truck That Hit Pedestrian Crossing, Killing 3 Elderly

Police Begin Inspection for Possible Poor Securing and Overloading Following Single Vehicle Fall

At around 8:56 a.m. on the 20th, several passenger cars collided with a passenger car delivery vehicle at Hanjae Intersection in Gwangmu-dong, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do. 119 rescue workers are clearing the scene. Twelve people, including pedestrians crossing the crosswalk, sustained serious to moderate injuries and are receiving treatment. Photo by Yonhap News.

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Chunsu] On the 20th, three elderly people crossing the crosswalk were hit and killed in a traffic accident at Hanjae Intersection in Seogyo-dong, Yeosu, and it was confirmed that the delivery truck was illegally modified.

According to the Yeosu Police Station in Jeollanam-do on the 21st, a statement was obtained from the delivery truck driver Mr. A, who caused the deaths of three people by crashing into the crosswalk and vehicles on the opposite side at Hanjae Intersection in Seogyo-dong the previous morning, admitting to illegally modifying the vehicle.

The police plan to request an inspection from specialized institutions such as the Korea Transportation Safety Authority to verify the exact modification, as Mr. A testified during the investigation that the front and rear parts of the truck were extended.

Also, since six vehicles were loaded on the 5.3-ton truck and one fell onto the road, it is being considered that the cargo was either poorly secured or overloaded. For an accurate accident investigation, the National Forensic Service was requested to conduct an on-site examination.

The police plan to apply for an arrest warrant against Mr. A on charges including violation of the Special Act on Traffic Accident Handling.

At the time of the accident, the delivery truck, while descending a downhill slope, collided with three passenger cars waiting to make a right turn, then ran over the crosswalk, killing three elderly people who were moving for public work and injuring 16 others.

The Yeosu City government formed a situation response team to support the bereaved families and victims.

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