Enraged by Breakup Notice... Man in His 40s Attempts to Kill Girlfriend by Ramming Her with Car

A man in his 40s who attempted to kill his girlfriend by ramming her with his car out of anger after she ended their relationship has received a heavy sentence again in his appeal trial.

According to Yonhap News Agency on September 14, the Criminal Division 1 of the Changwon Branch of the Busan High Court (Presiding Judge Min Dalgi) sentenced Mr. A, a man in his 40s indicted on charges including attempted murder, to 10 years in prison, the same sentence as the original trial. The court also ordered Mr. A to wear an electronic location-tracking device for 10 years.

Busan High Court Changwon Branch. Photo by Lee Seryeong

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Mr. A was brought to trial on charges of attempting to kill his girlfriend, Ms. B, a woman in her 30s, by accelerating his car and hitting her while she was walking at a dock in Masanhappo-gu, Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do, in October last year. On the day of the incident, after Ms. B told him she wanted to break up, Mr. A pleaded with her not to end the relationship. When she refused, he became enraged by a sense of betrayal, drank two bottles of soju, and committed the crime. It was also reported that about a month before the crime, Mr. A had attempted extreme actions, including severe self-harm with a weapon, following a conflict with Ms. B.

As a result of the incident, Ms. B, who was struck by the vehicle traveling at 50 km/h, was thrown approximately 13.7 meters and landed on the road, suffering injuries such as a skull fracture that required 224 days of medical treatment. Due to this, Ms. B has suffered severe cognitive impairment and paralysis on the left side of her body.

Mr. A claimed that he had "no intention to commit the crime" and argued that he was in a diminished mental state at the time. However, the court rejected this, citing the fact that Mr. A continued to accelerate the vehicle after hitting Ms. B, that he committed the crime while drunk and in a state of rage after being told of the breakup, and other circumstances. The claim of diminished capacity was also dismissed based on evidence that Mr. A deliberately turned the car in the direction Ms. B was walking and accelerated, and that he could accurately recall the type and amount of alcohol he consumed at the time.

The appellate court explained its sentencing, stating, "Mr. A rapidly accelerated to a speed of 50 km/h over a 2.5-meter section just before the collision and attempted to kill Ms. B, who was completely unprepared. Ms. B suffered life-threatening injuries and continues to experience severe symptoms, and there has been no meaningful restitution for the victim."

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