9 Sent to Hospital after Car Hits High Schoolers in Fukuoka (Update 1)

Jiji Press

12:42 JST, November 21, 2023 (updated at 15:00 JST)

Fukuoka (Jiji Press)—Nine people were sent to hospital Tuesday after a minivehicle hit high school students on their way to school and others in the town of Umi, Fukuoka Prefecture, southwestern Japan.

According to the Fukuoka prefectural police, those taken to hospital were seven high school students, a man in his 20s and the 66-year-old driver of the minivehicle.

One of the students sustained serious injuries, including facial fractures, but none of the nine were in life-threatening condition, according to the police.

The minivehicle is believed to have run into high school students and others after hitting the man in his 20s.

The incident occurred around 8:15 a.m. about 100 meters north of the Umi town office.

The driver was arrested on the spot on suspicion of negligent driving resulting in injury. But he was released later so that he could receive treatment for his broken leg.