Elderly man who 'choked on tea' not prosecuted over accident that hurt 5

May 29, 2019 | News On Japan

May 29, 2019 (tokyoreporter.com) - Prosecutors have announced the non-prosecution of a now deceased 79-year-old man for injuring five pedestrians after he drove his vehicle into a crowd of pedestrians in Shinjuku Ward earlier this year, reports TV Asahi

At around 1:30 p.m. on January 16, the man drove the vehicle onto a sidewalk in a business district located about 100 meters from JR Shinjuku Station.

A man in his 80s and a woman in her 20s received serious but not life-threatening injuries. Three other pedestrians suffered minor injuries.

Based on evidence at the scene, there was no indication that the driver used the brakes, police said at the time.

Following the incident, the driver told police, â€œWhile driving I became shocked after choking on tea.â€

On May 20, police sent the driver to prosecutors for violating a motor vehicle law regarding accidental infliction of injury.

However, prosecutors at the Tokyo District Public Prosecutorâ€™s Office announced the non-prosecution of the drive on Tuesday. No reason for the non-prosecution was given.

The driver and his wife, 76, who was also in the vehicle, suffered light injuries. The driver died in a hospital due to an unspecified disease in February.

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