Actor Lee Jae-ryong Indicted for Hit-and-Run, Drunk Driving Charge Excluded

Actor Lee Jae-ryong has been indicted on charges of leaving the scene of a traffic accident and obstructing a breathalyzer test, prosecutors announced on June 6. Lee was driving under the influence of alcohol and crashed into a central reservation near Samseongjungang Station on Seoul's subway line 9 around 11 p.m. on March 6.

He reportedly fled the scene and went to a friend's house, where he stayed for about three hours before being apprehended by police early on March 7. At the time of his capture, his blood alcohol concentration was reportedly at a level that would warrant a license suspension.

Initially, Lee denied driving under the influence, claiming he drank at his friend's house after the accident. Police suspected he deliberately drank more alcohol after the crash to destroy evidence of drunk driving and intended to charge him with that offense as well. However, prosecutors decided against pursuing the drunk driving charge.

They determined that proving his blood alcohol level exceeded the legal limit of 0.03% at the time of the accident, even using the 'Widmark formula,' would be difficult. The Widmark formula estimates blood alcohol content based on reported alcohol intake, body weight, and time elapsed since drinking. The Supreme Court has previously ruled that when using this formula, the calculation should be based on the most favorable drinking start time for the defendant, unless there is clear evidence to the contrary.