Seoul taxi morphine crash: Driver in 70s arrested after Jonggak Station tragedy

One woman is dead and nine others are injured after a nightmarish crash in central Seoul. On Saturday, police placed a taxi driver in his late 70s under emergency arrest following a series of collisions near Jonggak Station. According to Yonhap News, the suspect tested positive for morphine in a preliminary drug test.

Investigation into the Seoul taxi morphine crash

The chaos unfolded on Friday around 6 p.m. when the driver's electric taxi clipped a car, hit a traffic pole at a crosswalk, and eventually plowed into pedestrians. Authorities confirmed that the victims include one Indian national and three Indonesians. While no signs of drunk driving were present at the scene, the detection of morphine has shifted the focus of the investigation entirely.

Forensic Analysis and Legal Steps

Police don't plan to stop at the preliminary findings. They've requested the National Forensic Service to conduct a detailed analysis to confirm the presence of drugs. They're looking into whether the morphine was part of a prescribed medication or illicit use, which will determine the severity of the charges.