"I Got My License Revoked Yesterday!" 60s Sentenced for Refusing Breathalyzer Test

A man in his 60s who was caught driving under the influence again just four days after being caught for DUI and refused a breathalyzer test was sentenced to prison in the appellate court. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Nahana] A woman in her 60s who was caught driving under the influence and then got behind the wheel again just four days later after drinking was sentenced to prison in the appellate court.

On the 2nd, Chuncheon District Court announced that it dismissed the appeal filed by A (60, female), who was charged with drunk driving and refusal to take a breathalyzer test under the Road Traffic Act, and sentenced her to 1 year and 6 months in prison, the same as the original sentence.

On the early morning of February 26, A drove about 8 km in Wonju while intoxicated, then stopped her vehicle in the middle of the road and fell asleep.

When the police officers who responded to the report requested a breathalyzer test, A refused, saying, "My license was canceled yesterday, it was canceled."

Earlier, A was caught driving with a blood alcohol concentration of about 0.186% in a state of severe intoxication just four days prior, and had been punished twice before for drunk driving.

In the appellate court, A claimed, "I was in a state of diminished mental capacity at the time of the offense," but the appellate court judged that it was difficult to see that her mental state was impaired or that she was thinking abnormally, based on her clear statements during the investigation by authorities.

Regarding the claim of unfair sentencing, the court dismissed the appeal, stating, "There has been no significant change in circumstances that would warrant reconsideration of the sentence since the original judgment was handed down."