An off-duty police officer on his way home spotted a car being driven erratically, followed it for nearly 8 kilometers and detained the driver himself. The officer called police and relayed the vehicle's route to the command center in real time, leading to the arrest.
Busanjin Police Station said on the 28th that Senior Officer Kwon of the Seomyeon Patrol Division was riding in an acquaintance's car through the Suyeong Tunnel on a Busan urban expressway at about 1:09 a.m. on the 24th when he saw the car ahead drifting out of its lane and driving abnormally. Kwon, who was heading home after finishing his shift, suspected drunk driving and immediately called 112, the police emergency number.
Kwon did not lose sight of the car after making the call. He followed it for about 8 kilometers while reporting its direction to the 112 command center in real time, and when the car stopped at a red light on a road in Busan's Dong District, he had the driver step out and took him into custody. A dashcam in the car recorded the entire pursuit.
Steps were also taken at the moment of the arrest to prevent a secondary crash. Kwon's acquaintance directed traffic with hand signals from behind the vehicle to keep a following car from failing to see the stopped vehicle on the dark road and rear-ending it. Kwon then kept the driver from fleeing until officers from the local police substation arrived.
Officers dispatched in response to the report administered a breath test, which showed a blood alcohol concentration of at least 0.08% — the threshold for license revocation.
The Busan Metropolitan Police Agency said Kwon's response contributed directly to public safety. A police official said drunk driving threatens the lives and safety of other road users as well as the driver, making active reporting by citizens important, and urged people who spot a suspected drunk driver not to give chase or try to stop the driver themselves, but to keep a safe distance, call 112 and report the vehicle's location and direction of travel.
The Busan Metropolitan Police Agency plans to award Kwon a commendation for responding quickly while off duty, helping to apprehend a drunk driver and preventing further accidents.
