Drunk Mercedes Driver at 229km/h Who Killed Mother of Two Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison

Mr. A, who caused a drunk driving accident in the Incheon Bukhang Tunnel, is appearing in court for a detention warrant hearing on December 18 last year.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] A Mercedes driver who caused the death of a man in his 40s by drowsy driving while intoxicated in the Incheon Bukhang Tunnel was sentenced to prison.

The Incheon District Court Criminal Division 21 (Presiding Judge Jung Woo-young) sentenced A (45, male), who was detained and indicted on charges of dangerous driving causing death under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes and drunk driving under the Road Traffic Act, to four years in prison at the sentencing hearing on the 2nd.

The court stated, "The defendant drove drowsily while intoxicated and exceeded the speed limit of 100 km/h," and "As a result of the accident caused by the defendant, victim B (female, 41 at the time of death) died." It added, "The defendant's subscription to comprehensive insurance and the deposit of 30 million won to the victim's family were taken into consideration in sentencing."

Earlier, at the prosecution's closing argument on the 17th of last month, it was stated, "A was driving drowsily in a state of heavy intoxication, exceeding the speed limit, causing B's death, and the victim's family is petitioning for severe punishment," and requested a nine-year prison sentence for A.

A was detained and indicted on charges of driving a Mercedes at a maximum speed of 229 km/h in the Bukhang Tunnel section of the Metropolitan Area 2nd Ring Expressway Incheon-Gimpo section (Incheon-Gimpo Expressway) around 9:10 p.m. on December 16 last year, colliding with a Matiz vehicle ahead and causing the driver B to die.

Immediately after the collision, a fire broke out in the Matiz driven by B, and B was unable to escape and died.

At the time of the accident, A's blood alcohol concentration was measured at 0.08%, the level for license cancellation. In the police investigation, A stated, "I had a dinner gathering with acquaintances, but I do not clearly remember the time of the accident," and "I think I was driving drowsily."

B's mother appealed in a petition submitted to the court in March, saying, "The perpetrator killed a family man with two young children, destroying a family," and urged, "Please impose a severe punishment so that the perpetrator pays the price for the crime."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.