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Army officer arrested for hitting police while fleeing drunk driving checkpoint

Published: 25 Nov. 2025, 16:21

[JOONGANG ILBO]

An Army officer with the military police was caught after striking a police officer with his vehicle while trying to flee a drunk driving checkpoint — a scene that played out like a high-stakes chase from a crime film.

The Hwaseong Seobu Police Precinct in Gyeonggi announced Tuesday that it had arrested a field-grade officer from an Army division on the spot on Monday and handed him over to the military.

The officer was booked on charges of obstructing the execution of official duties and violating the Road Traffic Act for driving under the influence.

The officer is accused of refusing to comply with a sobriety checkpoint near a shopping complex in Bongdam-eup, Hwaseong, at around 8:25 p.m. Monday and fleeing approximately 6.9 kilometers (4.3 miles) in a Tivoli SUV.

He first sped about two kilometers away from the checkpoint but was intercepted by a pursuing patrol car. When a traffic officer from the Hwaseong Seobu Police ordered him to step out and tried to open the passenger door, the field officer struck the traffic officer and fled again.

The impact knocked the traffic officer to the ground, leaving him with bruises on both hands and abrasions on his knees.

The Hwaseong Seobu Police Precinct in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi is seen in this file photo [JOONGANG ILBO]

Police resumed pursuit and chased the field officer for another 4.9 kilometers before cutting him off on the Suwon-bound side of an overpass in Maesong-myeon, Hwaseong.

At that moment, a bus traveling in the adjacent lane pulled up alongside the field officer’s vehicle, suspicious of the situation. The officer’s car was pinned between the bus and the patrol vehicle, leaving no room to escape. About 20 minutes after his initial flight, the officer finally gave up.

A Breathalyzer test conducted on-site showed his blood alcohol level was high enough to warrant license cancellation, according to police.

The officer was transferred to military authorities the following day. The military plans to investigate the details of the case. Police said they are working to identify the bus driver to express their gratitude.

“The bus’s timely stop helped block the escape route in what could have been a dangerous situation,” a police official said. “But in such cases, civilians should always prioritize their own safety.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]