The death of a 35-year-old man in a car accident was live streamed by a vigilante YouTuber who had been in full pursuit of him.
Gwangju Gwangsan Police Station confirmed that, at 3:50 a.m. on Sunday, the man crashed his SUV into a parked truck, concluding a high-speed car chase instigated by a YouTuber who suspected the man of driving under the influence. With a channel boasting over 70,000 subscribers, the YouTuber, referred to as "Gwangju Sheriff" or "Drunk Drivers Hunter," is known for videos in which they chase down drunk drivers, pursuing vigilante justice.
The property damage caused by the incident is estimated to be at around 13 million South Korean won ($9,740), reported The Korea Herald.
According to police, the crash occurred 2 minutes after the chase commenced. The YouTuber initially approached the man to ask if he was under the influence, which the man denied. The YouTuber then proceeded to report him to the police for suspected drunk driving anyway, and began pursuing the man. Two other vehicles, known to belong to subscribers of the YouTuber, were also involved in the chase.
"We will examine the exact causal relationship between the YouTuber's pursuit and the accident." stated a police official.