The Fate of a Habitual Drunk Driver... Arrested and Benz Seized

Hit-and-Run After Causing Accident Without License
Attempted 'Driver Switch' as Company Employee

A woman in her 30s who hit a pedestrian and fled while driving under the influence and without a license has been arrested. It was revealed that this woman, who had two prior DUI offenses, even attempted a 'driver switch.' In response, the prosecution seized the Mercedes-Benz passenger car driven by her during each of the three DUI incidents.

According to Yonhap News on the 9th, the Criminal Division 1 of the Busan District Prosecutors' Office Eastern Branch (Chief Prosecutor Kim Byung-moon) announced that they have arrested and indicted Ms. A (36, female), a shopping mall owner, on charges including aiding and abetting a criminal, violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (hit-and-run causing injury), and violations of the Road Traffic Act (DUI and unlicensed driving). Additionally, Ms. B (28, female), a shopping mall employee who falsely testified that she was the driver at Ms. A's request, was indicted without detention on charges of aiding and abetting a criminal.

On May 17th, a Mercedes-Benz passenger car involved in a drunk driving accident and fleeing the scene in Gwangandong, Busan [Photo by Busan Police Agency, Yonhap News]

On May 17 at approximately 1:25 a.m., Ms. A was driving her Mercedes-Benz passenger car while intoxicated in Gwang-an-dong, Suyeong-gu, Busan, when she struck pedestrian Mr. C (57), causing injuries requiring 12 weeks of medical treatment. After the accident, Ms. A got out of the car, pretended to check the victim's condition, and then fled the scene.

Subsequently, Ms. A asked Ms. B, an employee at the shopping mall she operates, to falsely testify that Ms. B was the driver. However, the police seized smartphone messenger conversations and found evidence of the driver switch request. They also reviewed CCTV footage from the bar where Ms. A had been drinking and estimated her blood alcohol concentration at the time of the accident to be 0.043%, which is the level for license suspension.

Ms. A, who had been fined for DUI in 2018, had her license revoked after causing a DUI accident in February and was undergoing trial at the time of the latest accident. The prosecution obtained a warrant from the court to seize the Mercedes-Benz passenger car used in all three DUI incidents, citing the repeated use of the same vehicle for the offenses.

Since this month, the prosecution and police have been implementing measures to eradicate DUI, which include seizing and confiscating vehicles used as 'tools of crime' if a person commits DUI twice or more within five years or causes a fatal accident due to DUI.