Tokyo police arrested a 37-year-old unemployed man suspected of stealing a car from a used dealership and causing a fatal hit-and-run in Adachi Ward. The incident on November 24 killed one person and injured 10 to 11 others. The suspect denies the theft, claiming it was a test drive.
On November 24, around 12:30 p.m., a hit-and-run occurred on National Highway Route 4 in Tokyo's Adachi Ward. About 1 kilometer east of Tobu Railway's Nishi-Arai Station, in an area lined with buildings and apartments, the suspect's car plowed into pedestrians. A man in his 80s was confirmed dead at a hospital, and a woman in her 20s was in cardio-respiratory arrest. Reports vary on the number of injured, citing 10 or 11 people.
The suspect, a 37-year-old unemployed resident of Adachi Ward, is believed to have taken the car from a nearby used car dealership without alerting staff. He fled the scene and abandoned the vehicle before being apprehended. During questioning, he denied the theft, stating he “didn’t steal it” and was “just taking it for a test drive.”
Tokyo police are investigating vehicle theft charges and considering additional ones under the Road Traffic Act for hit-and-run and causing death and injury through dangerous driving. Authorities are examining the suspect's criminal responsibility in this chaotic incident on a busy street.