Five staff at a high school in Gyeonggi Province are under police investigation over the death of a student cyclist who was fatally injured during a highway training session in January.
Officials at the Paju Police Station said they are questioning the school's principal, vice principal, the cycling team coach and two physical education teachers at the school in Yeoncheon-gun in connection with the accident, which occurred at around 1 p.m. on Jan. 24.
The victim, a member of the school cycling team, collided with a median barrier during and died from his injuries.
At the time, the team was riding behind a van carrying the coach and several parents when the accident occurred on a road in Jeokseong-myeon, Paju.
The bereaved family alleges the school failed to take adequate safety precautions. They said road conditions were unsuitable for training after heavy snow the previous day and subzero temperatures at the time of the ride.
Data from the bicycle’s speedometer showed the rider reached a top speed of 88 kilometers per hour, the family said, even though the road had a speed limit of 70 kph.
Investigators believe the student may have lost balance after passing through a section of road with multiple potholes before crashing into the barrier. Police are examining whether school officials complied with required safety regulations when organizing the training.
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com
