Taxi Driver Charged with Special Assault and Fraud
"Very Malicious Crime"
"Deserves Condemnation Given the Danger"
[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon, Intern Reporter Gong Byung-sun] A taxi driver who blocked an ambulance transporting an emergency patient to the hospital was sentenced to prison in the first trial.
On the 21st, Judge Lee Yoo-young of the Seoul Eastern District Court Criminal Division 3 sentenced Choi Mo (31), who was indicted on charges of special assault, fraud, and obstruction of business, to two years in prison.
The judge explained the sentencing, saying, "The defendant deliberately caused accidents over a long period or pretended as if hospitalization or outpatient treatment was necessary, committing each crime. Considering the crime period and methods, the nature of the crimes is very bad. The act of intentionally causing a collision with a private ambulance carrying an emergency patient, confirming that a patient was on board, and demanding accident processing to obstruct the transport work is blameworthy given the danger involved." He added, "The defendant also has a prior record of being punished once for obstruction of business."
However, the judge explained, "The defendant was not indicted on the grounds that there is a causal relationship between the death of the patient in the ambulance and the defendant's crime."
The victim’s lawyer said to the press after the sentencing, "So far, there has not even been a sincere apology to the bereaved family or the deceased, and even during the civil lawsuit, when they intervened, they showed an unrepentant attitude regarding intent or the causal relationship to the death. We are quite disappointed with this verdict."
On June 8, near Godeok Station on Subway Line 5 in Gangdong-gu, Seoul, Choi was criticized for blocking the ambulance for about 10 minutes, saying "Handle the accident first," after a collision with the ambulance. The ambulance was carrying a 79-year-old stage 4 lung cancer patient who was experiencing breathing difficulties. The patient was transferred to the hospital by another ambulance but ultimately passed away around 9 p.m. that day.
Choi was also indicted for deliberately causing an accident against a private ambulance in July 2017. It was investigated that Choi attempted to obtain settlement money or insurance benefits from this accident but failed. From 2015 to 2019, while working as a driver for charter buses or company taxis, he is also charged with collecting about 20 million won in settlement money and medical expenses due to minor collisions.
Earlier, at the sentencing hearing held on the 23rd of last month presided over by this judge, the prosecution demanded a seven-year prison sentence. The prosecution stated, "The defendant denied all charges during the initial investigation but later submitted a handwritten statement confessing to the crimes. However, in court, he showed an attitude suggesting he was not at fault for some of the crimes. This raises doubts about whether he is truly remorseful."
In his final argument, Choi’s lawyer said, "There are exaggerated aspects that are not true about the defendant as this accident became a social issue. The defendant also deeply regrets the patient’s death and feels sorry for the bereaved family." He added, "The defendant was fully aware that there was an actual patient and did not deliberately act otherwise."
In his final statement, Choi tearfully appealed, "I sincerely apologize to the victims." He continued, "I deeply regret causing the accident by not yielding to an encroaching vehicle due to my inability to control my emotions and illegally obtaining insurance money. If the court shows leniency and I return to society, I will never work as a driver again and will live honestly with lifelong remorse, starting anew."
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