A man in his 60s who fatally struck a child while driving under the influence in a school zone in Daejeon was sentenced to 12 years in prison in the first trial, prompting the prosecution to appeal on the grounds of an inappropriate sentence.
Children Protection Zone Sign Installed in Front of an Elementary School in Seoul [Image Source=Yonhap News]
According to the legal community on the 27th, the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office appealed the day before against Bang Mo (66), who was sentenced to 12 years in prison in the first trial on charges including the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (causing death or injury in a child protection zone and causing death or injury by dangerous driving), stating that "a harsher punishment is necessary."
The prosecution explained the reason for the appeal, saying, "Not only the deceased victim but also other surviving victims are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and are receiving psychiatric treatment, indicating the extent of the damage. We actively reflected the wishes of the bereaved families of the deceased victim who hope that a harsher punishment will serve as a warning against drunk driving."
Earlier, the prosecution had requested a 15-year prison sentence for Bang at the first trial's sentencing hearing last month, but the court handed down a lighter sentence. In the sentencing hearing on the 20th, the court stated, "He was so intoxicated that he could not properly recognize the situation even after the accident, and instead of pressing the brake when he should have, he pressed the accelerator, leading to a tragic outcome. This accident has undermined the trust that people could safely walk on the sidewalks within the school zone, causing anxiety in the local community."
Bang is accused of driving a passenger car in a heavily intoxicated state at around 2:21 p.m. on April 8, crossing the road curb and rushing onto the sidewalk within the school zone near the intersection by Tanbang Middle School in Dunsan-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon. He struck and killed 9-year-old Bae Seung-a, who was walking on the street at the time, and injured three other children aged 9 to 10 who were with her.
His blood alcohol concentration was confirmed to be 0.108%, far exceeding the license cancellation standard, and his driving speed at the time of the crash was 42 km/h, exceeding the legal speed limit of 30 km/h.
The deadline for appealing this case is today, but Bang has not yet submitted an appeal.
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