According to police, the driver was detained after a preliminary drug test showed a positive result for morphine.
The accident occurred at around 6 p.m. Friday on a road near Jonggak Station in Seoul's Jongno District, when a taxi collided with two vehicles. The collision sent the taxi onto the sidewalk, killing one pedestrian and injuring 13 others.
Police said the electric taxi, driven by a man in his late 70s, first struck a vehicle, crashed into a signal pole at a crosswalk and then hit another vehicle ahead. In the process, pedestrians waiting to cross the street were struck and knocked to the ground.
Among the injured was a woman in her 40s, a South Korean national, who suffered cardiac arrest. She was transported to a hospital while receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) but later died.
Police said they have not ruled out the possibility that the driver had taken legally prescribed medication, such as cold medicine, and have requested a detailed analysis from the National Forensic Service.
A further investigation will be conducted into potential vehicle defects, the driver's health condition and the circumstances surrounding any drug use before deciding whether to seek an arrest warrant.
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