Driver who killed pedestrians had drug, fraud history

A man who caused a fatal car accident that killed two pedestrians had a history of drug use and fraud. The driver, identified by the surname Zhang, also died from his injuries in the crash.

Zhang had recently been sentenced to four months in prison, which could be commuted to a fine, for violating drug control laws. He was apprehended for using methamphetamine at his residence in Yingge District, New Taipei City. His wife, who is Vietnamese and holds a Taiwanese identity card, declined to comment when asked if she was aware of his drug use.

Court documents revealed that Zhang was released in March after completing a rehabilitation program for drug use. Despite this, he was caught using methamphetamine again in August, within three years of his release. He was also found to be trading etomidate vape cartridges in Taoyuan City in August, a case currently being prosecuted separately.

In addition to drug offenses, Zhang was implicated in several fraud cases. Most recently, he was sentenced to six months in prison in May for deceiving people online by selling non-existent iPhones.