Drunk Driving Checkpoint Escape by Police Officer Sent to Prosecutors...Checkpoint Officers Disciplined

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] A police officer who was caught evading a drunk driving crackdown and fled the scene but voluntarily appeared 10 hours later has been handed over to the prosecution.

Four police officers who were at the drunk driving crackdown scene at the time received disciplinary action.

According to the Gwangju Gwangsan Police Station on the 19th, Sergeant A of the Gwangju Bukbu Police Station, who was booked without detention on charges of drunk driving (violation of the Road Traffic Act), was sent to the prosecution with a recommendation for indictment on charges of 'refusal to take a breathalyzer test.'

Sergeant A fled to avoid a drunk driving crackdown around 10:30 p.m. on the 7th of last month on a road in Yangsan-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City.

He was caught by pursuing police officers and boarded a patrol car to be taken back to the crackdown site, but as soon as he got out of the car, he fled again and completely left the scene.

The police investigated items inside the vehicle and identified Sergeant A, then headed to his residence, but since Sergeant A did not return home, the breathalyzer test was not conducted that day.

About 10 hours later, the next morning, Sergeant A voluntarily appeared at the police station and took the breathalyzer test, which showed a blood alcohol concentration of 0%.

The police started an investigation on the assumption that Sergeant A had been driving under the influence, and Sergeant A partially admitted to having drunk alcohol and driven.

Initially, the police thought it would be difficult to apply the 'refusal to take a breathalyzer test' charge because the requirement to notify the subject of the drunk driving crackdown at least three times had not been met.

However, based on the higher authority's interpretation that the notification could be considered indirectly given as Sergeant A fled the crackdown scene, the charge of refusal to take a breathalyzer test was applied.

Under the Road Traffic Act, refusal to take a breathalyzer test is punishable by imprisonment for one to five years or a fine ranging from 5 million to 20 million won.

According to the Road Traffic Act, refusal to comply with a breathalyzer test request is punishable by imprisonment for one to five years or a fine ranging from 5 million to 20 million won.

The four police officers who lost Sergeant A at the scene received warnings and cautions for violating police service guidelines.