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Tokyo delivery driver accused of causing fatal crash after ditching sleep apnea machine

Prosecutors have indicted a 34-year-old former delivery driver after he fatally struck a pedestrian while asleep at the wheel

Tokyo Reporter2026-09-16 13:46查看原文 ↗

TOKYO (TR) – Prosecutors have indicted a 34-year-old former delivery driver after he fatally struck a pedestrian while asleep at the wheel, a tragedy the accused blames on an inability to treat his severe sleep apnea due to gambling debts, reports TBS News (Sep. 15).

Naoki Hara was indicted without arrest on a charge of dangerous driving resulting in death on Monday. In April, Hara’s light van plowed into a 78-year-old man using a crosswalk at an intersection in Setagaya Ward, killing him.

According to investigators, Hara had been diagnosed with severe Sleep Apnea Syndrome (SAS) but was neglecting his medical treatment at the time of the crash.

Speaking to reporters, Hara confessed that he had begun renting a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine to treat his condition in March of last year, but returned the life-saving device just months later.

“Around October of last year, I was up to my neck in gambling debts,” Hara said. “I couldn’t pay the fees, so I returned the CPAP.” The rental cost for the device was approximately 4,500 yen per month under national health insurance.

Hara’s untreated condition was extreme. While a patient experiencing 30 breathing interruptions per hour is classified as “severe,” Hara revealed his tests showed over 100 interruptions per hour—more than three times the severe baseline.

Despite his extreme daytime fatigue, Hara continued to drive, claiming that taking time off work would severely impact his income.

The fatal incident was not his first warning sign. Shortly before the April tragedy, Hara had caused two other accidents believed to be caused by dozing at the wheel. On the day of the fatal crash, witnesses and traffic footage showed Hara’s vehicle swerving erratically for roughly 1.4 kilometers before hitting the pedestrian.

“I felt sleepy, but I took it lightly, thinking I’d be fine if I just drove a little further,” Hara told reporters. “I entered the intersection completely unconscious. I am so sorry. That is all I can say.”

Medical experts emphasize the extreme risks of untreated apnea. Dr. Hiroto Nishizawa of the Akasaka Odayaka Clinic noted that severe SAS can cause patients to fall asleep suddenly and unconsciously during meetings or while speeding down a highway.

“Having sleep apnea doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t drive,” Dr. Nishizawa said. “The important thing is to receive proper treatment and have a doctor make an appropriate medical judgment.”

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东京（TR）——据TBS新闻（9月15日）报道，一名34岁的前送货司机因在驾驶时睡着撞死一名行人而被检察官起诉。被告将这起悲剧归咎于赌债缠身，导致他无法治疗严重的睡眠呼吸暂停症。

周一，原直树因危险驾驶致人死亡罪被正式起诉，但未被逮捕。今年4月，原驾驶的轻型货车在世田谷区一个十字路口撞倒了一名正在人行横道上行走的78岁男子，导致其死亡。

据调查人员称，原田被诊断患有严重的睡眠呼吸暂停综合征（SAS），但在车祸发生时，他忽视了治疗。

在接受记者采访时，原诚彦坦言，他从去年3月开始租用持续正压通气（CPAP）机来治疗自己的病情，但几个月后就归还了这台救命设备。

“去年十月左右，我赌债缠身，”原先生说，“我付不起费用，所以就把呼吸机退了。”这台呼吸机的租金在国民健康保险下每月大约是4500日元。

原先生未经治疗的病情非常严重。虽然每小时呼吸中断30次就被归类为“重症”，但原先生透露，他的检查结果显示每小时呼吸中断超过100次——是重症标准基线的3倍多。

尽管白天极度疲劳，原先生还是继续开车，声称请假会严重影响他的收入。

这起致命事故并非他的第一个警示信号。就在四月份悲剧发生前不久，原浩治曾因打瞌睡导致另外两起交通事故。在致命车祸当天，目击者和交通监控录像显示，原浩治驾驶的车辆在撞到行人前，曾异常摇摆行驶了约1.4公里。

“我当时感觉很困，但没太在意，心想再开一段路应该就没事了，”原告诉记者。“我完全失去意识地开进了十字路口。非常抱歉，我只能说这些了。”

医学专家强调，未经治疗的睡眠呼吸暂停综合征风险极大。赤坂小田屋诊所的西泽博人医生指出，严重的睡眠呼吸暂停综合征会导致患者在开会期间或在高速公路上高速行驶时突然无意识地睡着。

西泽医生说：“患有睡眠呼吸暂停症并不一定意味着你不能开车。重要的是接受适当的治疗，并由医生做出恰当的医疗判断。”

发表于犯罪、新闻和东京