Called a Designated Driver and Arrived at the Parking Lot... Found Dead in Car the Next Day

A man in his 50s was found dead in the parking lot of an apartment complex after returning home via a designated driver service, prompting a police investigation.

According to Pyeongtaek Police Station in Gyeonggi Province on January 12, the man, identified as A, was discovered dead in the back seat of a car in the parking lot of an apartment complex in Dongsak-dong, Pyeongtaek, at around 8:55 a.m. on January 10.

Investigations revealed that on the previous day, January 9, at approximately 9:00 p.m., A returned to the parking lot of his apartment using a designated driver service but stayed in his car without entering his home.

He had left his mobile phone at the restaurant where he had been drinking. The following day, the restaurant owner tried to contact A’s acquaintances to return the phone, which led to the discovery that A had not returned home. He was subsequently found dead inside his vehicle.

The designated driver, identified as B, reportedly sent related photos to A’s acquaintance, C, upon arriving at the apartment parking lot and then exited the car first while the engine was still running.

The police currently believe that the likelihood of a crime is low, as there were no external injuries on A’s body and no evidence of outsiders approaching the vehicle.

A police official stated, "The initial verbal opinion from the autopsy indicated that the cause of death was asphyxiation due to airway obstruction. We will determine whether to close the case after confirming the exact cause of death through a detailed autopsy."