Apologizing and Saying "I'm Sorry": Suspect in Fatal Drunk Driving Accident Reconstructs Scene
KORIYAMA, Japan - A man suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol, resulting in the death of a university entrance exam student, apologized repeatedly at the scene of the accident during a reconstruction with police on Tuesday.
"It's now past 6:35 a.m., the time of the accident. The suspect, Mr. Ikeda, is wearing a beige blanket and is participating in an on-site investigation," reported Asahi TV reporter Masaki Abe.
Reohei Ikeda, a 34-year-old company employee from Koriyama City, was arrested and referred to prosecutors on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. He is accused of hitting and killing Sakura Yokomi, a high school student from Osaka Prefecture, with his car while she was crossing the street at a crosswalk in front of JR Koriyama Station on January 22nd.
Police closed off traffic near the scene for four hours starting at 5:00 a.m. on Tuesday and had Ikeda retrace his actions at the time of the accident.
Ikeda, draped in a blanket, cooperated with investigators near the crosswalk where he struck Yokomi. However, when he approached the spot where she was thrown by the impact, he crouched down for about 30 seconds, put his hands together, and tearfully repeated, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
According to sources close to the investigation, Ikeda told them that he had been drinking with acquaintances for about six hours from the previous night until after midnight. He claimed to have "rested at home and then drove because he had an errand."
It is believed that Ikeda ran a red light before hitting Yokomi. He reportedly told investigators, "I was in a hurry, so I ignored the traffic signal."
Police are continuing their investigation, considering the possibility of charging Ikeda with dangerous driving resulting in death.
In Japan, drunk driving is categorized as either "driving under the influence of alcohol" or "driving while intoxicated." Driving under the influence carries a penalty of up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 500,000 yen, while driving while intoxicated carries a penalty of up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 1 million yen. Both offenses also result in penalty points and administrative punishments, such as license suspension or revocation.
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