Elderly Driver Crashes into Restaurant… Bride-to-Be Faces 'Wedding Cancellation Crisis' Due to Brain Hemorrhage and Pelvic Fracture
A serious accident occurred when a vehicle driven by an elderly driver in their 80s struck a bride-to-be in front of a restaurant in Gangnam, Seoul.
The victim fell into a critical condition as a result of the accident, which occurred unexpectedly while she was choosing her wedding dress ahead of her wedding in October.
Tragedy During Wedding Preparations
The accident took place around 1:10 PM on the 12th in the underground parking lot of a well-known cold noodle restaurant in Gangnam. An elderly female driver, while exiting the parking lot, drove the vehicle onto the sidewalk and crashed into the front of the restaurant.
In the process, the car hit several parked vehicles and continued to rush to the front of the restaurant, injuring a total of four people, including the victim, A. Among them, A sustained serious injuries while the other three suffered minor injuries.
The victim, A, was a bride-to-be with her wedding just four months away. On the day of the accident, she was fitting her wedding dress and had stepped outside the restaurant after finishing her meal to go to the restroom when the incident occurred.
From Dress Fitting to Hospital
The groom-to-be stated in a media interview, "That was the day A was supposed to post a photo of herself in the wedding dress on social media." He continued, "When A didn’t answer her phone, I went around the back and found her unconscious at the accident scene."
A suffered from a brain hemorrhage and fractures in her hip and pelvis, along with significant wounds on her forehead and various parts of her body. Medical professionals diagnosed that she would be unable to live without a wheelchair for at least 1 to 2 years, and there could be difficulties in pregnancy for the next two years.
The groom-to-be expressed that "the wedding is essentially canceled, and we haven't received any refund for the reservation," adding, "A is traumatized and cries at the sight of passing cars. We haven’t even received a word of apology from the elderly driver."
Dispute Over Responsibility
Details of the incident have also been recounted through testimonies. The groom-to-be noted, "The driver was in a panic, repeating 'What should I do?' inside the vehicle immediately after the accident," and that "a restaurant employee broke the window and shouted 'Take your foot off the pedal!' before the car finally stopped."
He further stated, "They might claim it was an unintended acceleration, but the wheels were spinning and stopped only after the driver got out. It's likely a case of inexperienced driving."
The driver at fault has reportedly not sustained any serious injuries and is said to be claiming 'unintended acceleration' during the police investigation.
Regarding the potential for legal penalties, attorney Yang Ji-yeol commented on JTBC's 'Incident Report,' stating, "If the accident scene is not classified as a road, the driver is generally not subject to criminal punishment." However, he also indicated that "if the victim sustains serious injuries that threaten their life, exceptional criminal charges could be applicable." The direction of the investigation may change based on the victim's recovery progress.
Measures regarding safety issues related to elderly drivers are likely to come back into focus.
Image source: jtbc 'Incident Report', gettyimagesbank
