A drunk driver, Mr. A (center), who fatally struck a chicken restaurant owner in his 50s delivering near Eulwangri Beach in Incheon, is leaving the Jungbu Police Station in Jung-gu, Incheon, on the afternoon of the 14th to attend a pre-arrest suspect interrogation (warrant hearing). [Photo by Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] A drunk driver who hit and killed a 50-year-old chicken restaurant owner making deliveries near Eulwangri Beach in Incheon with a vehicle has been arrested by the police.
On the 14th, the Jungbu Police Station in Incheon arrested A (33, female) on charges of causing death by dangerous driving under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes.
Lee Wonjoong, the chief judge in charge of warrants at the Incheon District Court, conducted a pre-arrest suspect interrogation (warrant review) for A in the afternoon and issued the warrant, stating "there is a risk of flight."
A is accused of driving a Mercedes-Benz passenger car under the influence of alcohol around 12:55 a.m. on the 9th on a two-lane one-way road near Eulwangri Beach in Jung-gu, Incheon, and hitting B (54, male), who was riding a motorcycle delivering chicken, causing his death.
Investigations revealed that A's Mercedes-Benz crossed the center line at the time of the accident and then collided with B's motorcycle coming from the opposite direction. At the time, A's blood alcohol concentration was over 0.1%, exceeding the license cancellation level (0.08%).
The police applied the so-called "Yoon Chang-ho Act," which strengthens penalties for fatal accidents caused by drunk driving, and requested an arrest warrant for A.
Before attending the warrant review, A did not respond to reporters' questions at the Jungbu Police Station such as "Why did you drive under the influence?", "Why did you not provide first aid after the accident?", and "Do you have anything to say to the victim?"
She appeared wearing a mask and a hood attached to a black padded jumper, covering most of her face.
Meanwhile, C (47, male), who was riding in the Mercedes-Benz with A, has been booked without detention on charges of aiding drunk driving under the Road Traffic Act and is under investigation.
A police official stated, "Based on evidence such as CCTV footage showing A and C together in the vehicle, we judged that C's charge of aiding drunk driving is valid and have booked him."
This accident sparked public outrage after the victim B's daughter posted a petition on the Blue House's National Petition Internet Board urging severe punishment for A. The petition has currently received over 550,000 signatures.
In the petition, B's daughter appealed, "My father, the youngest of seven siblings, died, and my family was ruined in an instant. I ask that the murderer not be allowed to escape by abusing the law for the father who never once in his life lived without working hard."
Kim Chang-ryong, Commissioner of the National Police Agency, ordered a strict investigation into the case on the 11th, emphasizing, "We are conducting a thorough investigation into the accident-related parties, black boxes, and CCTV to accurately determine the cause of the accident."
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