A Korean family missing for nearly two weeks may have been involved in a 22-car pileup on Interstate 40 near Williams, Arizona. Investigators located a BMW SUV at the scene that matches the description of the vehicle driven by the family, according to the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO).
Kim Tae-Hee (59), Kim Jung-Hee (54), and Lee Ji-Yeon (33) were last seen driving a white 2024 BMW SUV with California license plate 9KHN768. Authorities recovered human remains from the charred vehicle. However, they have not yet confirmed the identities.
The SUV sustained extensive damage, which has complicated efforts to identify the victims.
Last GPS ping puts Korean family near crash
John Paxton, CCSO spokesperson, said the vehicle’s final GPS signal appeared about a mile from the crash site. He also confirmed the recovery of additional remains near the wreckage.
“We located a BMW SUV among the destroyed vehicles,” Paxton said. “We haven’t identified the exact model yet.”
Bart Graves from the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) said investigators still don’t know who owned or drove the SUV. Since they recovered only partial remains, full identification may take several weeks.
Delay in disclosure draws concern
Authorities revealed the BMW’s involvement more than 10 days after the crash. As a result, some residents criticized the delay. They argued that faster recovery and analysis could have led to earlier answers.
Joy Kim, secretary of the Korean Association of Northern Arizona, said local agencies often move slowly. “We expected this would take time,” she said.
The Yavapai County Medical Examiner’s Office is now examining the remains. So far, officials have not confirmed a direct link to the Korean family missing.
Witness says she saw Korean family before crash
Meanwhile, a Flagstaff resident came forward with a possible sighting. On March 24, Elizabeth Alden told AZFamily she saw the family at a Maverik gas station near Williams around 9 a.m. on March 12. She said she helped them with the pump and remembered their faces clearly.
“One of them smiled at me,” Alden said. “An older woman wearing a hat focused on pumping gas. I wanted to say hello again if we met later, but that was the only time I saw them.”
After seeing a missing persons flyer, Alden realized the family matched those she had encountered and contacted the sheriff’s office.
Pileup kills two, destroys vehicles
The crash occurred March 13 during a heavy snowstorm. Twenty-two vehicles collided on the icy road, triggering a fire that destroyed multiple cars. At least two people died.
Investigators are continuing to work both the crash and the Korean family missing case. Officials say they are hoping to confirm the identities in the coming weeks.
BY KYEONGJUN KIM [kim.kyeongjun1@koreadaily.com]
AND HANKIL KANG [kang.hankil@koreadaily.com]
