20s Sentenced to Prison for Causing Fatal Accident While Driving at 153km/h Under the Influence

Blood Alcohol Concentration 0.145% ... Fined for Drunk Driving 4 Years Ago
Court: "Guilty but Considering Settlement with Bereaved Family, Sentenced to 1 Year 6 Months in Prison"
Police Plan to Strengthen Drunk Driving Vehicle Crackdown Until January Next Year

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] A man in his 20s who caused a fatal accident while driving under the influence has been sentenced to prison. On the 20th, the Gwangju District Court Criminal Division 8 (Presiding Judge Park Sangsoo) announced that it sentenced A, a man in his 20s, to 1 year and 6 months in prison on charges of violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (dangerous driving causing death) and the Road Traffic Act (drunk driving).

A was indicted for hitting a compact car ahead of him on the three-lane one-way road in front of Singa IC on the 2nd Circular Road in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju (towards Yudeok TG) at around 1:14 a.m. on August 4, causing the death of the driver in his 40s.

At the time, A's blood alcohol concentration was 0.145%, which was at the level of license cancellation. A, who was driving in a state of extreme intoxication, was speeding at 153 km/h in a zone where the speed limit was 90 km/h when the accident occurred. It is known that he had previously been fined for drunk driving four years ago and had reacquired his license.

The court stated the reason for sentencing, saying, "A's guilt is heavy as he caused a fatal accident while speeding under the influence, making a prison sentence inevitable," but also added, "The sentence was determined considering that A reached a settlement with the bereaved family."

Drunk driving accidents continue every year. On the previous day (the 19th), a driver who crashed into a median flowerbed on National Road 13 in Samsan-myeon, Haenam-gun, while driving under the influence during the daytime was caught by the police. Although the driver evacuated at the time of the accident, preventing casualties, all the vehicles were burned. Contrary to the driver's claim that the accident was caused by drowsy driving, his blood alcohol concentration was measured at the level warranting license suspension.

As the year-end approaches, the police have stepped up crackdowns on drunk driving vehicles. Since this is the first year-end after the full lifting of social distancing measures for COVID-19 prevention, the crackdown schedule has been moved up compared to previous years. During the intensive crackdown period, which will continue until January next year, daily surprise drunk driving checks will be conducted by police departments and stations in each city and province. In particular, nationwide simultaneous crackdowns will be carried out every Friday night, when drunk driving traffic accidents are frequent.

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