A driver in Keelung suspected of driving under the influence of drugs this morning rammed into 12 vehicles, killing one and injuring two.
The 55-year-old driver, a man surnamed Yang (楊), sideswiped a guardrail near the intersection of Ren 1st and Ai 9th roads before crashing into multiple parked cars, motorcycles and roadside stalls.
Police who arrived on the scene at about 11am discovered suspected "zombie vape” cartridges in Yang’s vehicle for use in e-cigarettes containing the Class II narcotic etomidate, police said, adding that Yang tested positive for the drug in a preliminary saliva test.
Photo: Wu Sheng-ju, Taipei Times
A 55-year-old woman surnamed Lin (林) sustained serious injuries and was sent to a hospital, where she later succumbed to her injuries.
The driver and a 66-year-old man, also surnamed Lin (林), sustained minor injuries and are being treated in a hospital.
The case has been transferred to the Keelung District Prosecutors’ Office to be handled in accordance with the Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act (毒品危害防制條例) and the Offenses Against Public Safety Act (公共危險罪).
A witness said he had been driving behind the vehicle along Liumingchuan Road just before the accident.
Yang was swerving between the lanes at a slow speed of just 10kph to 20kph, he said.
He honked to warn the driver, but Yang then suddenly accelerated upon reaching the intersection and rammed into vehicles parked along the road.
The witness saw a woman pinned under a signboard following the crash and reported the incident to police and firefighters.
On Tuesday last week, a 32-year-old man surnamed Chen (陳), who was also suspected of driving under the influence of etomidate, rammed into multiple cars and motorcycles at high speed on Keelung’s Nanrong Road.
The incident killed a 73-year-old man who had been taking out the trash and tried to push others out of the way before becoming trapped under the vehicle.
On Friday last week, Keelung Mayor George Hsieh (謝國樑) held a news conference to emphasize the city’s “zero tolerance” stance on drug and alcohol-impaired driving.
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
STAY COOL: The HPA recommended that people stay hydrated, use air-conditioning or fans while indoors, wear loose-fitting clothes and walk in the shade while outdoors Employers must implement measures such as installing cooling equipment, and providing drinking water and rest breaks for outdoor workers starting from Monday next week, the Taipei Department of Labor said on Sunday. Employers who fail to comply could face fines of NT$30,000 to NT$300,000 under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (職業安全衛生法), the department said. Businesses in Taipei employing fewer than 100 workers, as well as registered self-employed workers with labor insurance coverage, could receive on-site assessments and guidance from occupational safety consultants to help them apply for central government subsidies to implement or improve heat-protection measures, it said. Under the Ministry of
ISOLATION: The outposts would serve as support and backup bases, forcing US forces to either face China head-on or reroute, increasing travel time and operational costs China’s outposts in the South China Sea could be used to delay and constrain foreign forces during a conflict in the Taiwan Strait, giving Beijing a critical window to carry out amphibious landing and blockade operations, a report said. The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) forward operating bases on islands and reclaimed features in the South China Sea could delay foreign forces long enough for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to secure a key 48-to-72-hour window in the Taiwan Strait, a report commissioned by the Mainland Affairs Council found. The report, conducted by the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, examined
RSS