A 20-Year-Old Who Caused a Hit-and-Run Fatality Following Drunk Driving Sentenced to Prison in First Trial

Other Motorcyclist Chasing After Accident Also Injured
Consideration Given for Settlement with Victim's Family Before Death

A man in his 20s was sentenced to prison after driving under the influence, hitting a motorcycle and killing the rider, then fleeing the scene and injuring another motorcycle rider who chased him.

On the 30th, Judge Kim Jeongheon of the Daejeon District Court Criminal Division 5 sentenced A (29) to three years in prison on charges of dangerous driving causing death, hit-and-run causing death and injury, drunk driving, and failure to take measures after an accident. On October 26, 2021, at around 10:14 p.m., A was driving on a road in Seo-gu, Daejeon, while heavily intoxicated. At that time, A’s blood alcohol concentration was 0.117%, well above the license cancellation limit.

A then violently collided with the motorcycle of B (in his 50s), who was waiting at a traffic signal, causing damage severe enough to write off the motorcycle. However, A fled the scene without taking any action. As a result of the accident, B suffered severe injuries including traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage and was transported to the hospital, but ultimately passed away on September 2 of the following year due to complications.

Afterward, A drove for about 13 more minutes covering approximately 8.5 km around Seo-gu, Daejeon, to evade C (in his 30s), a motorcycle rider who witnessed the accident and pursued him. Later, C blocked A’s car with his motorcycle and approached, grabbing and shaking the driver’s door, but A started the car again. Because of this, C fell and sustained injuries requiring two weeks of medical treatment, and C’s motorcycle reportedly collided with A’s car.

The court stated, “The crime is very serious and highly condemnable as the defendant fled without any action after causing a drunk driving accident, resulting in irreversible grave consequences.” However, the court also considered that “the defendant showed remorse, reached a settlement with B’s sibling shortly before B’s death, and also settled with C.”