Two Teenage Girls Die After 120km Dash... Elderly Driver Sentenced to 4 Years Imprisonment in Appeal Trial
A man in his 70s who was prosecuted for hitting and killing two teenage female students walking on the street was sentenced to imprisonment again in the appellate court.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Chief Judge Oh Sang-yong of the 22nd Criminal Division of Cheongju District Court dismissed the appeals from both the prosecution and the defendant A (78) in the appeal trial for violating the Special Act on Traffic Accident Handling (causing death), maintaining the original sentence of 4 years in prison, the court announced on the 25th.
A is accused of driving a passenger car at an intersection in Gamgok-myeon, Eumseong-gun last May and consecutively hitting and killing middle school student B (14) and high school student C (17), who were walking on the sidewalk. The deceased students were reportedly on their way home after finishing school classes.
At the time, A’s vehicle, which violated the traffic signal while driving at a speed of 120 km/h, only stopped after crashing into a utility pole.
A told the police, "I do not remember the accident itself." During the trial, A’s defense attorney claimed the possibility of sudden unintended acceleration, but it was not accepted due to lack of objective evidence to support it.
The first trial court stated, "Due to the defendant’s reckless driving, an irreversible and serious result occurred with the death of young victims," and "Considering that the bereaved families who lost their young children are pleading for severe punishment of the defendant, harsh punishment is necessary."
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The appellate court also judged that the discretion in sentencing did not exceed a reasonable range.
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