40s Man Driving at '166 km/h' While Drunk... "2 Dead, 3 Injured"

Sentenced to 5 Years Imprisonment

The police are conducting a drunk driving crackdown.
Photo by Asia Economy

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] A man in his 40s who, while driving under the influence, collided with a 1-ton truck ahead, resulting in 2 deaths and 3 casualties, has been sentenced to a heavy prison term.

On the 23rd, the Criminal Division 1 of the Suncheon Branch of Gwangju District Court (Presiding Judge Baek Ju-yeon) sentenced A (46), who was indicted for violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (dangerous driving causing death or injury) and the Road Traffic Act (drunk driving), to 5 years in prison.

Earlier, on November 15 last year, around 9:47 p.m., near Hwanggeum Tunnel in Hwanggeum-dong, Gwangyang-si, Jeollanam-do, A was driving under the influence with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.090%, which is at the level of license cancellation, when he collided with a 1-ton truck.

It was investigated that A was driving at 166 km/h on a two-lane one-way road, running in the first lane, when he rear-ended the 1-ton truck ahead.

As a result of the accident, 4 out of the 5 people in the vehicle were thrown out, among whom 2 died and the remaining 3 were seriously injured.

A was found to have caused the accident while speeding without recognizing a speed enforcement camera set at 80 km/h ahead.

The court stated the sentencing reasons, saying, "The defendant is a first-time offender, and the victims who suffered serious injuries are pleading for leniency," but added, "Drunk driving is a social harm and the statutory penalty has been aggravated, and the bereaved families of the deceased victims have not forgiven him, so a prison sentence is inevitable."