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(Mass.gov)

A U.S. 8th Army civilian contractor is under investigation after his car was purportedly seen striking a South Korean police officer and fleeing the scene, Army and police officials said Tuesday.

The contractor, 31, whose name was not released, spoke with police Monday and told them he does not remember what happened Sunday night, when his Corvette was filmed by another officer hitting the policeman near Noksapyeong subway station in Seoul.

The police officer, 40, had stepped into the middle of the road to stop the car after seeing it cross the center line, but it continued moving, hitting the officer.

The police officer was transferred to a nearby hospital and is wearing a half-cast on his right leg, a local police official told Stars and Stripes.

The contractor said he was driving in the area at the time but had no memory of hitting anyone, according to police.

The contractor added that he was on the way to Soonchunhyang University hospital in the Yongsan neighborhood for medical treatment, police said.

Police have not yet determined whether they will file charges or ask U.S. Forces Korea for custody of the contractor, who is attached to the 1st Signal Brigade.

Brigade commander Col. Arvesta Roberson said in a statement that the Army will cooperate with the South Korean investigation.

“We take this incident very seriously and are deeply sorry the alleged actions of this driver that caused injury to the Korean National Police Officer,” Roberson said.

chang.kyong@stripes.com

slavin.erik@stripes.com Twitter: @eslavin_stripes

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Yoo Kyong Chang is a reporter/translator covering the U.S. military from Camp Humphreys, South Korea. She graduated from Korea University and also studied at the University of Akron in Ohio.

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