Drunk driver who hit central median and fled: Actor Lee Jae-ryong appears before police

[Financial News] Actor Lee Jae-ryong, 62, who is suspected of causing a drunk driving accident and fleeing the scene in Seoul’s Gangnam district, has appeared before police.
According to police on the 10th, the Seoul Gangnam Police Station summoned Lee as a suspect that afternoon on charges of drunk driving and failing to take necessary measures after an accident under the Road Traffic Act. Investigators are questioning him about how the drunk driving accident occurred and the details of his flight.
Lee had been scheduled to be questioned at around 3 p.m. that day, but he reportedly arrived at the police station about an hour early to avoid the press.
Lee is accused of hitting a central median with his car near Cheongdam Station at around 11 p.m. on the 6th and then leaving the scene. He was arrested by police about three hours later while staying at an acquaintance’s home.
At the time of his arrest, Lee’s blood alcohol level was found to be high enough to warrant a license suspension. He initially denied the drunk driving allegation during the first round of questioning, but on the following day, the 7th, he changed his statement and admitted he had been drinking, saying, "I drank four shots of soju before driving and thought I had only lightly grazed the central median."
However, he is said to have denied suspicions that he used the so-called "drinking after the accident" tactic, in which a driver consumes more alcohol after fleeing in an attempt to avoid having a precise blood alcohol level established.
Based on the questioning conducted that day, police plan to determine how to proceed with Lee’s case.
425_sama@fnnews.com Reporter Choi Seung-han Reporter