Sep 18 (Japan Today) - Police on Monday sent papers to prosecutors on a 69-year-old taxi driver on a charge of reckless driving resulting in death after his vehicle hit and killed the 45-year-old driver of a hire car in Tokyo's Roppongi district.
According to police, the incident occurred at around 1 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. Fuji TV reported that the taxi driver, Yasuhiro Minami, drove his car into the victim, Susumu Okada, knocking him onto the hood, and continued for several meters before hitting a traffic light pole. Police on Sunday said footage captured on the cab's drive recorder showed Minami's taxi accelerating before hitting Okada.
Police said the two vehicles approached each other on a narrow four-meter road near the Spanish Embassy. Okada and Minami both got out of their cars and were arguing because neither vehicle would give way to the other. Minami told police he left the engine running without the brake on and his taxi started moving. He ran back and got in but before he could stop the taxi, it gained speed and hit Okada.
Police quoted Minami as saying he stepped on the brake pedal but couldn't stop in time.
