A driver was arrested in Chengdu, Sichuan, on Friday after ramming his car into pedestrians and other vehicles in a horrific series of collisions at a busy downtown intersection, leaving at least one person dead and 11 others injured.
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT
The incident occurred around 5.20pm yesterday at the intersection of Jiannan Boulevard and Tianfu 4th Street in the city's Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone, a bustling area near a large shopping mall.
According to police statements and videos circulating online, the pinkish-silver private car was waiting at a red light in an inner lane.
When the light turned green, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and veered sharply to the right, plowing directly into pedestrians who were using the crosswalk.
Instead of stopping, the driver then drove against traffic onto the sidewalk, reversed back onto the road, and struck a motorcycle carrying two people, causing widespread chaos.
The Chengdu City Public Security Bureau Traffic Management Bureau issued a statement later that evening confirming the casualties. All injured individuals were immediately transported to hospital for treatment.
The driver, a 31-year-old man surnamed Li, was arrested at the scene. An initial investigation has ruled out the possibility that he was driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The specific cause of the incident is still under in-depth investigation.
