[News Today] Police officer killed by drowsy driver

[LEAD]
A deadly crash on the Seohaean Expressway has left a police officer and a tow truck driver dead.

The officer was killed while responding to an earlier accident, raising renewed concerns over drowsy driving and the safety of first responders.

[REPORT]
Two cars stand on the two innermost lanes of the expressway after a collision in the early morning hours.

Korea Expressway Corporation workers set up flashing lights to warn of an accident.

An ambulance and a police car arrive soon after.

But then, an SUV comes speeding down the express lane and rams into the stopped vehicles.

At around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, an SUV crashed into two cars near the Gochang intersection of Seohaean Expressway.

One vehicle was enveloped in flames and completely burned down.

A police officer and a tow truck driver were killed and nine others, including two paramedics, were injured and taken to hospital.

The officer killed in the accident was inspector Lee Seung-cheol of the expressway patrol unit.

He died while handling a DUI crash that took place earlier.

Witness /
Traffic was backed up at the Seohaean Expressway merge.
When I got out, firefighters were performing CPR.

The 30-something SUV driver who caused the deadly secondary accident told police that he had turned on the driving assistance system and dozed off.

Police found that he was not under the influence of alcohol.

The government decided to posthumously promote Lee by one rank and award him the Order of Service Merit.

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