Changhua: Changhua prosecutors on Wednesday said they had declined to press charges against the owner of a mattress that blew into a road during a typhoon and was struck by a speeding motorcyclist, causing the man’s death.
According to Focus Taiwan, the Changhua District Prosecutors Office issued a statement after completing its investigation. The incident originated in April or May 2023 when a woman, surnamed Huang, left an old mattress in a vacant area in front of a factory on Yanhai Road in Changhua’s Xianxi Township. On October 5 of the same year, as Typhoon Koinu battered Taiwan, the mattress was blown onto the road around 4 a.m.
Later that morning, at 5:38 a.m., a 27-year-old man named Hsu, along with a friend as his passenger, approached the area on a motorcycle. Unable to avoid the obstacle, Hsu collided with the mattress, resulting in severe injuries from which he succumbed the following day.
A local traffic accident investigation committee found both Hsu and Huang shared responsibility for the accident. The committee noted that Hsu lacked a driver’s license, exceeded the speed limit, and failed to pay attention to road conditions, which contributed to his inability to avoid the mattress. Meanwhile, Huang’s improper disposal of the mattress led it to become a road hazard.
Prosecutors, after conducting their own investigation, concluded that the mattress did not pose a traffic danger in its original location. During the typhoon, it had shifted to one side of Yanhai Road, partially covering the right lane and a minor part of the left lane. Surveillance footage showed a black sedan in the left lane successfully avoiding the mattress by slightly slowing down.
Hsu, however, traveled through the right lane at a speed of 80-90 kilometers per hour, disregarding local government advisories to drive cautiously and only when necessary during the typhoon. Consequently, Hsu braked too late, striking the mattress head-on. Prosecutors argued that Hsu had placed himself in a situation with “highly uncontrollable risks,” leaving insufficient evidence to charge Huang with negligent homicide.
Hsu’s mother expressed her dissatisfaction with the decision on Wednesday, stating she “cannot accept” the prosecutors’ conclusion and intends to file an appeal.