20-05-2025
Motorist who drove wrong way on expressway may have made U-turn on through lane
A man who was arrested for driving in the wrong direction on an expressway in central Japan, hitting other vehicles, may have made a U-turn on the through lane.
The accident happened on a section of the Shin-Meishin Expressway in Kameyama City, Mie Prefecture, on Sunday.
A motorist going in the wrong direction hit another vehicle. As other vehicles slowed down to avoid the oncoming car, a few of them collided. Four people were injured.
Police arrested Rossi Cruz John Elias, a 34-year-old Peruvian, on Monday on suspicion of colliding with two vehicles and fleeing the scene. He was sent to prosecutors on Tuesday.
Police say the suspect has admitted to driving in the wrong direction, but claims he hit only one car.
The suspect is believed to have been driving westward on the outbound lane with the traffic prior to the accident.
Police say witness reports suggest the suspect may have made a U-turn on the through lane near the Suzuka Tunnel, on the border between Mie and Shiga prefectures, and started traveling eastward.
The suspect appears to have driven at least 10 kilometers in the wrong way after the accident and entered a parking area.
Police believe the suspect was carrying a passenger. They are investigating the causes.
