Take our user survey and make your voice heard.
Police in Soka, Saitama Prefecture, have arrested a 20-year-old man on suspicion of dangerous driving resulting in death and injury, as well as drink-driving, after the minivan he was driving crashed into a signpost pole, killing two women and injuring three others in the vehicle with him.
Police said the driver, Shuhei Okada, a university student, has admitted to the charge.
According to police, the accident occurred at around 6:30 a.m. on Thursday at an intersection, Fuji TV reported. The minivan crashed head-on into the pole. Two women ― students from Tokyo, aged 19 and 20 ― died of their injuries, while three other men and women, aged between 18 and 20, suffered serious injuries, police said.
Police quoted Okada as saying he and his friends had been drinking alcohol which they had bought at a convenience store and were out all night at a karaoke establishment prior to the accident.
Police said some of the passengers also face a charge of aiding and abetting Okada for allowing him to drive while under the influence of alcohol.
© Japan Today
18 Comments
Login to comment
nandakandamanda
Tragic situation.
Two of my close friends have lost children in similar accidents this way. One eventually took his own life, unable to get over it deep down inside.
Mr Kipling
Luckily they only killed and injured themselves and not others.
Lindsay
It’s a shame he wasn’t arrested for drink driving before the crash that killed and maimed his friends.
One of my cousins was killed by a drunk driver 30 years ago leaving three little kids without a father. I’ve been an avid supporter of interlocking devices ever since. They should be mandatory on all cars straight from the factory. Way too many people die in cars every year due to driving under the influence of alcohol.
garypen
"They" didn't kill anyone. HE killed two women, and injured three others.
Mr Kipling
garypen...
When you get into a car drunk with a drunk driver you have been drinking with... YOU are also at fault.
tjguy
Foolishness of youth - but I guess it is not only confined to youth, is it? Alcohol is DANGEROUS and no one should ever drive drunk! I'm sorry for this young man and for all involved and the families who lost precious children! He/they made a HUGE mistake. Unfortunately this will greatly impact his life as well as everyone else involved. The memory of the 2 friends he killed will haunt his mind the rest of his life.
Mr Kipling
Bradley....
Yes, it sounds like and IS victim blaming. They were stupid to get into a car with someone they knew to be drunk. Sad that they died but stupid decisions sometimes have consequences.
Danielsan
The best and fair solution would be for auto manufacturers to include alcohol sensors that render the vehicle inoperative when the presence of alcohol is detected.
Sanjinosebleed
Very sad!
there should be a lot more random breath testing in Japan! So many people drive while drunk and random testing is the only real way to get people to comply with the law.
virusrex
If they were fine with a drunk taking the wheel they are victims of their own crime, do you complain also when arsonists get hurt in the fire they made?
kyushubill
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
shogun36
Revolting.
He should be slapped with 50 years jail time per death.
Strangerland
It's British, what the Americans call drunk driving:
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/drink-driving
Harry_Gatto
What do you think it is?
It is a term which has evolved over the years in many English speaking countries since drink-driving laws began to be toughened up in the 60s and 70s. Whilst it may not be grammatically correct it is in common usage and has been for a very long time; maybe you're too young to realise this?
Zaphod
Mr Kipling
That is not quite true, as only one of them was driving.