Drunk driver gets suspended sentence for hit-and-run, less than two months after prior conviction

A man in his 40s has been sentenced to a suspended prison term for drunk driving and leaving the scene of an accident, a mere two months after his previous drunk driving conviction was finalized. The court handed down a sentence of two years in prison, suspended for three years, along with an order for 120 hours of community service and 40 hours of traffic safety education.

The defendant, identified as A, was found to have been driving under the influence with a blood alcohol content of 0.159%, far exceeding the legal limit for license revocation. He crashed into a car stopped at a traffic light in Gimhae, Gyeongnam Province, and then fled the scene. The victim sustained injuries requiring two weeks of medical treatment, and the damaged vehicle incurred approximately 470,000 won (about $350) in repair costs.

“

The defendant committed another offense by driving drunk and fleeing the scene less than two months after his previous drunk driving conviction was finalized.

This latest offense adds to A's history of drunk driving, with previous convictions for similar offenses in 2008 and 2014. He had also received a summary indictment for drunk driving in September of the previous year, resulting in an 8 million won fine.

Presiding Judge Seok Dong-woo noted the severity of the crime, stating, "The defendant committed another offense by driving drunk and fleeing the scene less than two months after his previous drunk driving conviction was finalized." However, the judge also acknowledged that the accident's severity was not extreme and that a settlement had been reached with the victim, which factored into the sentencing decision.

“

However, the judge also acknowledged that the accident's severity was not extreme and that a settlement had been reached with the victim, which factored into the sentencing decision.