TOKYO: The Metropolitan Police Department arrested a 23-year-old man from Toda, Saitama Prefecture, on Tuesday (May 19) on suspicion of dangerous driving resulting in injury and driving an illegally modified vehicle, after he caused an accident while driving a fake undercover police car after drinking.
According to investigators, the man crashed into a utility pole around 1.20am on Dec 21 last year on a local road in Nerima Ward, Tokyo, while driving an illegally modified passenger car under the influence of alcohol.
A 22-year-old female office worker in the passenger seat suffered serious injuries, including a broken rib. The man has admitted to the charges.
The man had repeatedly committed offenses such as running red lights and speeding more than 10 times while sounding a siren, flashing red lights, and broadcasting messages like “Emergency vehicle passing” to those around.
The man reportedly told investigators, “I wanted to drive a car that was different from others, so I asked my friend to modify it,” and “I thought it would be fun and give me a special feeling if people thought the car might be an undercover police car.” - The Yomuri Shimbun
