Driver Claimed 'Sudden Acceleration' in Crash That Killed 2, But Later Admits to Pedal Misapplication

The accident in June of this year, where a vehicle driven in his 70s crashed through a wall and plunged, resulting in 2 deaths, has been revealed to be caused by pedal misapplication, contrary to claims of "sudden acceleration."

Previously, at around 6:09 PM on June 5, an accident occurred where a driver in his 70s, A, crashed into a parking lot wall while parking at a church in Yeongcheon-dong, Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province, and plunged into a field 6 meters below.

Due to this accident, among the 5 passengers, a couple in their 70s, B, who were in the backseat, died, and 3 others, including A, sustained minor injuries.

At the time, the vehicle suddenly accelerated while forward parking and crashed into the wall.

Right after the accident, A stated in a police investigation that the vehicle experienced sudden acceleration, and did not back down from this claim afterward.

However, as a result of the National Forensic Service's analysis of the vehicle's Event Data Recorder (EDR), no abnormalities were found in the vehicle.

Based on the detailed appraisal results, the police questioned A once again, and as a result, A reportedly admitted to the charges later, stating, "I think I mistook the accelerator pedal for the brake pedal."

The Jecheon Police Station in North Chungcheong Province, which has been investigating the case, announced today (November 2) that it has forwarded pastor A without detention on charges of vehicular manslaughter under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Settlement of Traffic Accidents.

Reported by Son Hyeong-an | Video by Kim Na-on | Design by Lee Jung-joo | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.