Osaka Pref. man accused of attempted murder after rope across road causes bicycle crash
Yuki Matsumi of Fujiidera, Osaka Prefecture, allegedly tied a rope at a height of about 70 centimeters across an about 4.6-meter-wide city road. A cyclist in his 20s fell after his bicycle struck the rope at around 9:21 p.m. on May 31, inflicting injuries including bruises to the back of his head requiring about 10 days to heal, police said.
The suspect has denied the charges, reportedly telling investigators, "I didn't intend to kill anyone."
According to investigators, Matsumi is suspected of taking a rope strung across the entrance to a parking lot, untying it from one pole and then reattaching it to a wire-mesh fence across the road.
Surveillance camera footage recorded the entire incident. At around 9:20 p.m. on May 31, a figure believed to be Matsumi appeared from the darkness, detached the rope from the parking lot's pole, moved initially toward the mesh fence, then briefly dropped the rope and walked away into a side street. Less than a minute later, the man returned, quickly tying the rope to the mesh fence at about waist height before again retreating out of view down the side street.
About 30 seconds later, a bicycle approached from the north and hit the rope, throwing its young male rider violently onto the pavement. Footage showed the victim looking around confused and holding his head in pain before getting back on his bicycle and quickly cycling away from the scene.
According to investigative sources, police believe Matsumi watched from nearby as the cyclist crashed. Police identified him after checking multiple security camera recordings from around the area.
The roadway where the incident took place is a busy local street. Shortly after the crash, the driver of a passing light vehicle noticed the rope and stopped to untie it from the fence.
A 56-year-old local told the Mainichi Shimbun, "Many locals rely on this place as a convenient shortcut, so the traffic volume is quite high. This act was malicious and cannot just be dismissed as a prank."
(Japanese original by Tomoe Saito and Nanami Otsubo, Osaka City News Department)
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