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Video shows escape of woman from prosecutors in Kishiwada

OSAKA (TR) – Osaka Prefectural Police are seeking the help of the public in locating a woman convicted of a traffic violation who fled from prosecutors with the help of a male acquaintance in Kishiwada City on Wednesday, reports NHK (Oct. 30).

At around 10:50 a.m., a vehicle driven by the male acquaintance picked up Kimie Okazaki, 49, from a road near the Kishiwada branch of the Osaka District Public Prosecutor’s Office.

As the acquaintance sped off in the reddish-brown vehicle, he made contact with one prosecutor, 26, who tried to get the vehicle to stop. The prosecutor suffered minor injuries to both hands, authorities said previously.

In a surveillance camera footage released publicly by police, a group of five persons is shown walking across the street toward the acquaintance’s vehicle.

As they near the vehicle, one person — Okazaki — walks quickly behind it. After she disappears from view, the vehicle starts moving forward, shoving one man in a white shirt to the side. The vehicle continues and knocks a second man to the ground as it speeds off.

Kimie Okazaki (NHK)

In January, police arrested Okazaki for causing a traffic accident resulting in injury while driving without a license. Since May, there have been three scheduled hearings for Okazaki.

During the proceedings, she was out on bail. However, she failed to appear for the second and third hearings, which resulted in her bail being withdrawn last month. She was scheduled to be detained on Wednesday.

However, as prosecutors began explaining the detention procedure, she said, “I want to retrieve a bag.” She then led prosecutors to the vehicle.

In a portrait photograph released by police, Okazaki is shown with long hair and her left eye partially closed.

Standing around 160 centimeters tall, she has a slim build. At the time of her escape, she was wearing a black and khaki hat. Her acquaintance was attired in a black parka, police said previously.

Police are seeking the whereabouts of the pair on suspicion of interfering with the duties of a public servant and attempted murder.