A woman who killed a man in his 20s while driving drunk at excessive speed, despite pleas from her two young daughters to slow down, was sentenced to 12 years in prison after her husband submitted a petition for leniency signed by 1,135 people ahead of her first trial verdict. The court said it took the petition, including her husband's plea, into account in determining the sentence.
The case, a fatal drunk driving crash in Hongseong, South Chungcheong Province, in January, and the subsequent trial were featured on MBC Every1's "Hidden Eye," which aired on Sunday.
According to the program, the woman, identified only as A, in her 30s, was driving under the influence at around 9:20 p.m. on Jan. 9 when her car struck a motorcycle traveling ahead of her on a road in Hongbuk-eup, Hongseong County. The motorcyclist, a man in his 20s who was preparing to get married, died in the crash.
A's blood alcohol concentration was 0.211 percent, far above South Korea's license revocation threshold of 0.08 percent. She was driving at up to 194 kph on a road with a speed limit of 60 kph.
Her two daughters, aged 4 and 6, were in the back seat. Dashcam footage captured them pleading with their mother, saying, "Mom, I'm scared. Please slow down. I want to get out." A, however, continued driving while swearing at the children.
During police questioning, A claimed she could not remember what happened at the time of the crash. "When I came to my senses, I was in a police detention cell, and the officers told me someone had died," she said. She also said she could not remember why she had left the scene after the crash.
However, she reportedly told the victim and witnesses at the scene words to the effect of, "Isn't this all your fault?" and "You scared my kids."
During the trial, it was also revealed that A’s husband had collected 1,135 signatures and submitted a petition for leniency.
The husband explained that he knew many people through club activities and such, and that acquaintances wrote the petition on his behalf. However, it is known that some signatories signed at the request of an acquaintance without knowing what case the petition concerned.
Kim Dong-hyun, a broadcaster and former mixed martial arts fighter, who heard this, pointed out, “It is too strange to write a petition for leniency for a perpetrator who caused a fatal accident through drunk driving.”
Actress Park Ha-sun also said, “Hearing that people who signed directly did so without knowing anything makes me feel very uneasy.”
Claims surrounding attempts to reach an agreement with the bereaved family were also contradictory. A’s husband claimed he had “gone to their house about ten times” to apologize to the family, but the family refuted this, stating they had never met the husband and did not even know his face.
The first-instance court sentenced A to 12 years in prison and ordered her to complete an 80-hour child abuse treatment program. Factors considered in sentencing included whether she had comprehensive auto insurance and that her husband, who is another holder of parental rights over their children, had petitioned for leniency.
Kim stated that it is natural for a husband to protect his family, while questioning the fact that the family’s petition for leniency was reflected in the sentencing.
Both the prosecution and A’s side appealed the first-instance verdict. In the appellate trial, which began last August, A, unlike in the first instance, admitted to the charges and requested time to reach an agreement with the bereaved family.
In response, Kim expressed doubt as to whether she was sincerely trying to apologize or attempting to reach a settlement to reduce her sentence.
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