Multiple Dead and Injured as Car Crashes into Roadside Stall in Shenzhen, Report Raises Questions

On the evening of April 5, a traffic accident occurred in the jurisdiction of Xixiang Street, Bao’an District, Shenzhen, resulting in 1 death and 3 injuries, as officially reported, which has raised suspicions among netizens.

The incident took place near Baoyuan Road and Baoyuan Road in Bao’an District, as reported by Xinjing Bao. Witnesses claimed that after hearing a loud noise, they saw a car crash into multiple street vendors. Nearby shop owners stated that street vendors often set up stalls on the motorway at the scene of the incident.

A viral video circulating online shows the aftermath of the scene, with multiple individuals lying on the ground, one motionless. A crowd of onlookers gathered around, observing the wreckage. The front of the vehicle involved in the crash was severely damaged, and a female driver sat inside making a phone call before getting out to assess the situation. Local internet users described the scene as quite gruesome.

According to a report from the Traffic Police Detachment of the Shenzhen Public Security Bureau, at around 5:30 pm on April 5, the driver, a 35-year-old woman named Li, felt unwell while driving her car on that section of the road, causing her to lose control of the vehicle and resulting in injuries to 4 pedestrians, with one fatality despite rescue efforts. Li tested negative for drunk or drugged driving.

The official report has faced skepticism from netizens. As indicated by the Douyin blogger “Xiao Yi Ke,” some local residents of Shenzhen have questioned why the official report cited a sudden physical discomfort as the cause, when it was evidently due to improper driving by the driver. Internet users highlighted discrepancies in the reported number of casualties, asking why it was reported as one death when they believed it was five.

In online discussions, a netizen from Guangdong confirmed the presence of numerous eyewitnesses at the scene, noting that the female driver appeared calm, made a phone call after hitting someone, and then got out of the car to assess the situation, with a squint indicating possible nearsightedness.

Critics have condemned the claim of sudden physical discomfort as a means to evade legal consequences. They argue that the only medical condition capable of causing a vehicle to lose control is a seizure; drivers with a history of epilepsy are legally prohibited from operating a motor vehicle.

Furthermore, some netizens have raised suspicions about the driver’s background, questioning whether claiming sudden physical discomfort due to health reasons could lead to reduced penalties. The phrase “sudden physical discomfort” has sparked speculations that there may be influential figures guiding the narrative.