Even on days off, police officers remain vigilant

Even on their days off, the sharp instincts of police officers shone through.

They played a crucial role in pursuing and apprehending a driver who was more than three times over the legal blood alcohol limit.

According to the Daejeon Yuseong Police Station, at around 10:40 PM on May 27, while returning home after exercising, Police Officer Im Young-woong, who was off-duty that day, witnessed an unusual scene.

On a road in Yuseong District, a vehicle was dangerously swerving across lanes and driving erratically.

Suspecting drunk driving, Officer Im immediately reported to 112 and requested on-site support. He approached the driver's side window and asked the driver about their alcohol consumption. The driver, A, in his 40s, candidly admitted, "Uh, I've been drinking."

Suspecting drunk driving, Officer Im immediately reported to 112 and requested on-site assistance.

Drunk driving posed a serious risk, but the officer's quick thinking prevented a potential tragedy.

When Officer Im identified himself as a police officer and requested the driver to exit the vehicle, A suddenly attempted to flee.

What was astonishing was that despite the front tire on the passenger side being completely flat, creating a sound as the wheel scraped across the asphalt, A was in such a severe state of intoxication that he was unaware of this.

Thanks to Officer Im's swift pursuit, A's vehicle did not go far before it came to a stop, and Officer Im was able to detain A until the responding police arrived.

A's blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was measured at 0.353%, a level that is seldom encountered by police in the field. According to the Korea Health Association, a BAC exceeding 0.3% can lead to temporary memory loss, and exceeding 0.5% increases the risk of death to 50%.

Recorded at 0.353%, it is a high level rarely seen by police in the field.

Repetitive drunk driving: The quick response of the officer prevented a major accident.

Police investigations revealed that A had attended multiple drinking sessions that day and was confirmed to have consumed at least three bottles of soju.

He drove for approximately 3.5 km while heavily intoxicated and has a prior record of drunk driving.

A police official stated, "Thanks to the officer who detected suspicious behavior and remained vigilant even on a day off, we were able to apprehend the suspect without a major incident." He added, "A will soon be sent to the prosecution for violations of the Road Traffic Act (drunk driving)."

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Image source: Daejeon Police Agency