Truck Driver and Owner Forwarded Without Detention Over Fatal Wheel Separation Accident

The truck driver and the vehicle owner have been forwarded to the prosecutors' office without detention on charges of failing to properly maintain a cargo truck, whose detached wheel crossed into the opposite lanes of the Seohaean Expressway and struck an intercity bus, killing the bus driver.

Gyeonggi Pyeongtaek Police Station announced today (November 3) that they have forwarded a man in his 70s, identified as A, who was the driver of the 4.5-ton wing-body cargo truck, without detention under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Settlement of Traffic Accidents. The vehicle owner, a small transport company CEO in his 50s identified as B, was also forwarded without detention on charges of professional negligence resulting in death and injury.

Driver A is accused of causing casualties involving four people around 3:54 PM on March 18 of this year near the Poseung Junction heading toward Geumcheon on the Seohaean Expressway in Pyeongtaek, when the rear wheel detached from the cargo truck he was driving, which lacked proper maintenance.

At the time, the detached wheel flew over the median barrier and crashed through the windshield of the driver's seat of an intercity bus traveling from Goyang to Gunsan in the first lane heading toward Muan, rolling all the way to the very back seat of the bus.

The accident resulted in the death of the bus driver in his 50s, while three of the seven passengers sustained minor injuries from shattered glass and other debris.

Immediately after the accident, when the driver lost consciousness, a passenger named Moon Do-gyun rushed to the driver's seat, grabbed the steering wheel with one hand and pressed the brake pedal with the other to bring the bus to a stop on the shoulder, thereby preventing a secondary accident.

According to the National Forensic Service appraisal results, the wheel separation of the accident truck was caused by deterioration and severe wear of the wheel, bolts, and nut fastening parts.

It was found that driver A had been advised by a repair shop he visited late last year to replace his tires that there were abnormalities such as wear in the wheels, bolts, and nuts and that they needed repair, but he continued driving after replacing only the tires.

Vehicle owner B, who was responsible for maintenance management including paying for vehicle repairs, was also investigated for having received notice of the component abnormalities from driver A at the time, yet neglecting to make timely repairs due to cost issues and other reasons.

During police questioning, driver A reportedly stated that he had not noticed any major signs of trouble during routine visual inspections and that he reported any issues to the vehicle owner.

Vehicle owner B reportedly stated that he had not been told there was an immediate hindrance to driving and intended to make repairs when he had some financial breathing room.

Concluding that both individuals bore responsibility for the accident, the police forwarded the case to the prosecutors' office on October 28.

(Photo provided by Gyeonggi Disaster and Safety Headquarters, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.