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Deliverywoman killed by truck right after handing driver drink in southern Taiwan

Truck collided with woman at intersection after she delivered beverage to driver in Kaohsiung

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Scene of accident. (Kaohsiung Police Department photo)

Scene of accident. (Kaohsiung Police Department photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A woman was fatally hit by a truck shortly after she delivered a beverage to the vehicle's driver on a street in southern Taiwan's Kaohsiung.

According to the Qianzhen Precinct of the Kaohsiung Police Department, a 36-year-old truck driver surnamed Tien (田) at 11 a.m. Monday morning (April 19) contacted a beverage shop to have a drink delivered to his dump truck, which was situated near the intersection of Jinfu Road and Dongya Road. A 27-year-old woman surnamed Chen (陳) rode her scooter to make the delivery.

Chen handed the drink to Tien and headed back to her scooter, which was parked in front of Tien's truck. Chen then got back on her scooter and proceeded forward.

Tien put his truck in gear and drove forward as well. Chen then stopped at a stoplight one intersection away at Jingfu Road, reported TVBS.

However, when Tien's truck arrived at the light, it hit Chen in the head from behind and knocked her beneath the vehicle. When the light turned green, the truck lurched forward, dragging Chen and her scooter over 100 meters before a passerby noticed and alerted Tien to the accident.

Deliverywoman killed by truck right after handing driver drink in southern Taiwan
Scene of accident. (Photo from reader)

When police arrived on the scene, they questioned Tien about his actions, and he claimed he had not seen the woman on the scooter in front of him at the intersection, saying it could have been because she was in the vehicle's blind spot. It was not until police noticed a cold drink sitting in Tien's cab matching the description of Chen's delivery that they realized he had just received the item, reported ETtoday.

Tien said he did not remember what the delivery driver looked like. Police subjected Tien to a breathalyzer test but found he did not have any alcohol in his system.

The preliminary assessment of the police is that Tien failed to pay attention to the situation in front of his vehicle. After questioning, police transferred him to the Kaohsiung District Prosecutor's Office to be investigated for negligent homicide (過失致死罪), according to Liberty Times.

Chen had reportedly been working as a delivery driver for three years. The exact cause of the accident is currently under investigation.

Deliverywoman killed by truck right after handing driver drink in southern Taiwan
Scene of accident. (Kaohsiung Police Department photo)