A driver who police suspect may have been under the influence of drugs caused collisions among multiple vehicles in Yilan City late yesterday, resulting in one person dead and many others injured.
The accident transpired at about 9pm on Section 3 of Zhongshan Road.
Photo courtesy of police via CNA
The police said the pileup was caused by a man surnamed Lin (林) when he lost control of his speeding vehicle on a slippery road and impacted with a stopped car, leading to subsequent collisions involving six other vehicles, including a scooter.
The driver of the first car rammed into by Lin was the only fatality in the accident, police said.
The victim, surnamed Chung (鍾), showed no signs of life when she arrived at a hospital and efforts to resuscitate her were unsuccessful, police said.
Lin, his passenger, and the scooter driver were all taken to a hospital to treat their injuries.
Police said that while Lin tested negative for alcohol, etomidate was discovered in his possession and he also tested positive for the drug, known more commonly as “zombie oil” for the sedated yet fidgety state the substance has been known to affect its users.
The Yilan District Prosecutors’ Office has taken over the case and would be investigating Lin for potential offenses against public safety under the Criminal Code and contraventions of the Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act (毒品危害防制條例).