A bus driver is being held responsible for an accident Sunday on the Yeongdong Expressway that claimed four lives and injured 37 people.
Police in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, said Tuesday that the driver, aged 57, is presumed to have driven past the regulated maximum speed level.
(YTN News Capture)
Blackbox recordings showed that the bus sped at 105 kph while the traffic law regulates vehicles on expressways to keep to a maximum speed of 100 kph and safety distance of 100 meters.
Bang is also accused of giving false testimony to the police.
While he initially said the accident happened while he was changing lanes from the second lane to the first, blackbox recordings showed that he drove on the first lane throughout.
Bang will be probed as a suspect, and police are considering applying for an arrest warrant.
On Sunday, five cars collided at the mouth of Bongpyeong Tunnel on the Yongpyeong-myun, Pyeongchang-gun section of Yeongdong Expressway.
Four women in their 20s died and 37 were injured in the crash.
Bang is currently being hospitalized in Wonju-si.
Clause 1, Article 3 of the Act on the Settlement of Traffic Accidents says a driver of a vehicle who causes bodily injury by negligence can be punished by imprisonment of a maximum of five years or a fine of up to 20 million won ($17,500).
By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)