A foreign teacher in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, has apologized for wearing a horror mask on a highway that raised safety concerns among the public.

On Sunday, a video posted online showed a man wearing a frightening mask in a vehicle on the Changchun-Shenzhen Expressway in Hangzhou. From the car's window, the man briefly made eye contact with others. The video spread quickly online, with many netizens expressing fear and anger.

Hangzhou traffic police confirmed that they had been alerted to the incident and launched an investigation, identifying the man as Hugo, a 42-year-old foreign teacher at a school in the city's Xiaoshan district, according to a notice released on Wednesday.

The notice said Hugo was returning to Hangzhou as a passenger in a friend's car on Sunday afternoon. At 4:57 pm, he found the mask, which was purchased online in November 2024, in his bag while looking for snacks. He played with it and put it on.

The act was noticed and recorded by passengers in another vehicle traveling in the same direction. The two cars drove alongside each other for about nine seconds, during which no verbal communication or other unusual behavior was observed. At 5:27 pm, the vehicle drove out of the Hangzhou South toll station, and the man wasn't wearing a mask.

Although, fortunately, nothing bad happened, the police emphasized that such action could impact driving safety. Hugo was located and educated by the police. He apologized to the individuals affected and expressed regret. He obtained their forgiveness. The police reminded drivers to refrain from any behavior that may threaten road safety.