The driver involved in a New Taipei City car crash that killed three people and injured several died of his injuries yesterday morning after about two weeks in intensive care, a local hospital said.
Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, where the 78-year-old man surnamed Yu (余) was treated, said that he died of multiple organ failure after several surgeries.
The hospital said it notified the authorities of Yu’s death.
Photo: Wong Yu-huang, Taipei Times
Yu ran a red light at high speed in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽) on May 19, hitting several pedestrians and scooter riders near an elementary school.
Two of the people killed in the crash were female students in their teens and the other was a woman in her 40s.
Another 12 people, including Yu, were injured, with most of them being students.
Police had been waiting to question the driver, but he remained unconscious until he died.
Forensics reports, surveillance and dashcam footage, witness statements, and reports from the Transportation Safety Board would all be transferred to prosecutors, police said.
The New Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office said that it would arrange for an autopsy on Yu as soon as possible and close the case.
The incident prompted a public outcry about Taiwan’s driver’s license tests and traffic safety failures.
Critics say the requirements for renewing driver’s licenses, especially for elderly people, are too lax and accident-prone traffic spots are not dealt with efficiently.
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
UNREASONABLE SURVEILLANCE: A camera targeted on an road by a neighbor captured a man’s habitual unsignaled turn into home, netting him dozens of tickets The Taichung High Administrative Court has canceled all 45 tickets given to a man for failing to use a turn signal while driving, as it considered long-term surveillance of his privacy more problematic than the traffic violations. The man, surnamed Tseng (曾), lives in Changhua County and was reported 45 times within a month for failing to signal while driving when he turned into the alley where his residence is. The reports were filed by his neighbor, who set up security cameras that constantly monitored not only the alley but also the door and yard of Tseng’s house. The surveillance occurred from July
A Japan Self-Defense Forces vessel entered the Taiwan Strait yesterday, Japanese media reported. After passing through the Taiwan Strait, the Ikazuchi was to proceed to the South China Sea to take part in a joint military exercise with the US and the Philippines, the reports said. Japan Self-Defense Force vessels were first reported to have passed through the strait in September, 2024, with two further transits taking place in February and June last year, the Asahi Shimbun reported. Yesterday’s transit also marked the first time since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office that a Japanese warship has been sent through the Taiwan
‘SAME OLD TRICK’: Even if Beijing resumes individual travel to Taiwan, it would only benefit Chinese tourism companies, the Economic Democracy Union convener said China’s 10 new “incentives” are “sugar-coated poison,” an official said yesterday, adding that Taiwanese businesses see them clearly for what they are, but that Beijing would inevitably find some local collaborators to try to drums up support. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, made the remark ahead of a news conference the General Chamber of Commerce is to hold today. The event, titled “Industry Perspectives on China’s Recent Pro-Taiwan Policies,” is expected to include representatives from industry associations — such as those in travel, hotels, food and agriculture — to request the government cooperate with China’s new measures, people familiar with
RSS