Driver Sentenced to 10 Years for Fatal Hit-and-Run Incident in Gwangju

A driver involved in a fatal hit-and-run incident while under the influence has been sentenced to 10 years in prison. On December 13, the Gwangju District Court's Chief Judge Lee Kwang-heon sentenced 32-year-old Kim, who was charged with violating the Special Act on the Punishment of Specific Crimes (hit-and-run resulting in death) and the Road Traffic Act (drunk driving). A co-defendant, 33-year-old Oh, who was also charged with aiding Kim's escape, received an 8-month prison sentence with a 2-year probation.

The incident occurred on September 24 at approximately 3:11 AM in the Hwajeong-dong area of Gwangju, where Kim, driving a Maserati while intoxicated, collided with a motorcycle carrying a couple in their twenties. The female passenger died, while the male sustained serious injuries. Kim fled the scene without providing assistance.

Kim was apprehended about 67 hours later, on September 26 at around 9:50 PM, in Gangnam, Seoul. Initially, police had only charged him with hit-and-run, claiming that calculations using the Widmark formula indicated his blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was below the legal limit of 0.03%. However, during the prosecution's investigation, it was revealed that Kim had consumed at least two bottles of soju before driving. The prosecution subsequently added drunk driving charges, estimating his BAC at 0.093% and noting that he was driving at 128 km/h in a 50 km/h zone at the time of the accident.

Judge Lee stated, "Kim abandoned the victims immediately after the accident and evaded law enforcement while encouraging his acquaintances, including Oh, to assist in his escape, demonstrating a severe disregard for the law." Regarding Oh, the judge noted, "He has shown remorse for his actions and was unable to refuse Kim's request, which influenced the decision to grant him probation."