Drunk Hit-and-Run Driver Who Killed a 20s Part-Time Worker by Choking Faces Life Imprisonment Request

Prosecutors: "Considering Dawn Signal Violation, Crosswalk Location, and Escape Route After Accident"

A drunk driver's vehicle that stopped only after crashing into a flower bed following an accident at an intersection in Daejeon last month. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Seohyun] A drunk hit-and-run driver who struck and killed a female university student returning home after a late-night part-time job has been sentenced to the maximum legal penalty of life imprisonment.

According to the legal community on the 15th, the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office recently requested the court to impose life imprisonment on A (38), who was indicted on charges of hit-and-run causing death while driving under the influence (violation of the Act on Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Crimes).

Life imprisonment is the highest sentence under the so-called 'Yoon Chang-ho Act,' which imposes aggravated punishment on drivers who cause death and flee the scene.

The prosecution reportedly determined the sentence considering factors such as A’s running a red light in the early morning, the accident occurring at a crosswalk, and the circumstances of fleeing the scene after the accident.

Earlier, on the 7th of last month at around 1:30 a.m., A, driving a Carnival van while intoxicated, ran over two pedestrians crossing a crosswalk at an intersection in Seo-gu, Daejeon, and fled the scene.

As a result of the accident, a woman in her 20s died, and a man in his 30s sustained serious injuries and is receiving treatment at a nearby hospital.

The deceased victim, B, was a university student preparing for employment before graduation. B lived alone in Daejeon, away from family, and worked part-time at a chicken restaurant, returning home after finishing work late at night.

A’s vehicle continued driving about 4 km from the accident site before crashing onto a sidewalk and hitting a flower bed, finally coming to a stop. At the time, A’s blood alcohol concentration was measured at 0.203%, which is more than twice the license cancellation standard of 0.08%.

A post on the Blue House National Petition Board related to the accident read, "I hope the perpetrator receives strict punishment so that the death of my beloved niece is not in vain."

During the trial, A submitted letters of apology more than ten times. Judge Kim Ji-young of the Daejeon District Court Criminal Division 7 will hold the sentencing hearing on the 16th of next month.

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