Driver Fined $2,000 for 2024 Vancouver Crash, Avoids Criminal Conviction

A driver involved in a chaotic 2024 crash in downtown Vancouver, which saw multiple vehicles struck and a tree destroyed, has escaped a criminal conviction. Soyoub Kim, 53, was initially charged with dangerous driving following the May 31, 2024 collision on Alberni Street.

However, Kim pleaded guilty on July 16 to the less severe Motor Vehicle Act offense of driving without due care and attention. The BC Prosecution Service confirmed he was issued a $2,000 fine and ordered to pay a $300 victim fine surcharge. Kim has no prior criminal history or driving record in British Columbia.

Vancouver police reported that Kim was driving a white Mercedes SUV eastbound on Alberni Street shortly before 10 p.m. on May 31, 2024. The SUV allegedly sideswiped a grey Mazda CX5 before accelerating rapidly. Police stated the Mercedes then jumped the curb, narrowly missing pedestrians, before crashing into a bike rack, a street sign, a tree, and finally three parked vehicles: a blue Tesla 3, a black Tesla Y, and a white Ford Transit van. The Mercedes came to rest on the sidewalk, and witnesses reported the driver fled the scene on foot before being apprehended by police.

At the time of the incident, police had indicated that multiple dangerous and impaired driving charges could be recommended. The outcome, however, saw Kim face a civil infraction rather than a criminal record.

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The Vancouver police department is recommending several charges after a suspect was arrested in downtown Vancouver following a major crash on Alberni Street