'Mokdong Kkaebi Market Vehicle Ramming' Dementia Patient Sent to Prosecution Without Detention

"No Vehicle Defect Found"

Last year, A (75), an elderly dementia patient who ran over 12 people by car at Kkaebi Market in Mokdong, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, was handed over to the prosecution.

The National Investigation Headquarters in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

On the 14th, the Yangcheon Police Station in Seoul sent driver A to the prosecution without detention on charges of causing death and injury by negligence under the Special Act on Traffic Accident Handling.

A was diagnosed with 'early Alzheimer's dementia' last month and is currently living in a nursing facility. He was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment at a hospital in Seoul in November 2023 and received medication treatment for about four months until early last year, but reportedly stopped treatment voluntarily. Mild cognitive impairment is not subject to the periodic aptitude test for driver's licenses under the current Road Traffic Act.

According to the police investigation, A usually drove the accident vehicle twice a month to prevent battery discharge, and on the day of the accident, he had been driving the vehicle for about two hours without a specific destination after leaving his residence and was on his way home.

A was descending a downhill road near Kkaebi Market in Mokdong at 60 km/h and accelerated to 70 km/h to overtake a village bus that was stopped and starting on the right side. However, he failed to turn left toward the residential area and went straight, hitting the market. One person died and 11 were injured in this accident.

The police judged that there was no possibility of a defect in the accident vehicle based on CCTV footage and the suspect's statements.

A stated during the investigation on the day of the accident that "he does not remember the circumstances of the accident," but after the police showed him the accident video, he reportedly admitted his fault.

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