Man downs ’10-odd’ whiskey sours before driving in reverse, injuring 4 in Meiji-dori crash

tokyoreporter.com -- May 19

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 27-year-old man who allegedly injured several persons by causing a crash while driving his vehicle in reverse in Koto Ward earlier this year, reports TBS News (May 18).

According to the Joto Police Station, Tetsuya Kabutoya drove his vehicle over a distance of 1.6 kilometers in reverse before crashing into a passenger vehicle making a right turn at an intersection on Meiji-dori in the Shinsuna area in January.

A second vehicle was also involved in the accident. The collisions caused injuries to four persons, including a man and his wife, aged in their 40s, and their daughter, an elementary school student.

Tetsuya Kabutoya (Twitter)

Upon his arrest on suspicion of reckless driving resulting in injury, Kabutoya admitted to the allegations. “Just before the accident, I drank 10-odd whiskey sours with colleagues,” the suspect was quoted by police. “Since I was drunk, I couldn’t drive normally.”

Police sent Kabutoya to prosecutors on Monday. It was not revealed why police sent the suspect to prosecutors four months after the accident.

After the accident, Kabutoya fled the scene. However, he reported it to police about 40 minutes later.

May 19 (ANNnewsCH) - 東京・江東区の明治通りで酒を飲んで車を逆走させ、4人に重軽傷を負わせたとして27歳の男が逮捕されました。  甲谷哲也容疑者は1月、江東区の明治通りで酒を飲んだ後に車を運転して約1.6キロ逆走したうえ、交差点で車2台と絡む事故を起こして小学生の女の子を含む4人に重軽傷を負わせた疑いが持たれています。警視庁によりますと、甲谷容疑者は事故の後に現場を離れましたが、約40分後に自ら110番通報をしました。事故直前に仲間とサワーなどを十数杯近く飲んだと供述し、逆走したことについては気付いていなかったということです。