Wrong way driver arrested after series of crashes, telling police he used marijuana

Police arrested a driver on suspicion of drug use after the person drove the wrong way for about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) on an expressway and caused a series of crashes, authorities said Thursday.

A car is streaking the wrong way on an expressway and causing a series of crashes on Jan 20 while the driver under the influence of marijuana. [GYEONGGI NAMBU PROVINCIAL POLICE]

Police arrested a driver on suspicion of drug use after the person drove the wrong way for about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) on an expressway and caused a series of crashes, authorities said Thursday.

The Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency said the driver was taken into custody at the scene on charges including violating the Narcotics Control Act, fleeing the scene of an accident and breaching traffic laws.

The incident occurred around 3:10 p.m. Tuesday near the Munsu 1 Tunnel on the Sejong–Pocheon Expressway in Yongin. Police said the driver was operating a rental car after using marijuana.

According to investigators, the driver had been traveling toward Sejong when the vehicle pulled over to the shoulder, made a sudden U-turn and began driving against traffic. The car traveled the wrong way for about 10 kilometers before striking a Hyundai Sonata in the first lane.

The driver then continued driving for about 3 kilometers after the crash and went on to collide head-on with a Genesis GV70 and a Carnival, one after another, in the first lane.

Six people in the other vehicles suffered minor injuries and were taken to hospitals, police said.

Police were dispatched after receiving an emergency report at 2:59 p.m. Tuesday that a vehicle was driving the wrong way. Officers checked the driver for alcohol, but no signs of drinking were detected.

However, after the driver gave incoherent explanations, officers searched the vehicle and found an estimated 2 to 3 grams of marijuana powder and smoking tools, police said. Later, while being transported to a hospital, the driver admitted to using marijuana, and police collected a blood sample for drug testing and seized the items as evidence.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY JEONG HYE-JEONG [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]