Taiwan Court Revokes Bail for Suspect Who Allegedly Hit Police Officer

A police chief's legs were crushed by a car driven by a suspect allegedly under the influence of drugs, sparking public outrage after the suspect was initially released without bail. The Changhua District Court's decision to release the 28-year-old suspect, identified by the surname Shi, was met with widespread criticism from the police and the public.

Shi had been driving under the influence of drugs, testing positive for etomidate and methamphetamine, and admitted to running over the police chief's right foot. Despite this, the court initially ruled for his release without bail, citing insufficient evidence to warrant detention. This decision drew comparisons to a previous case where the same judge released another suspect in a separate drunk driving incident without bail, leading to public accusations of leniency.

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The original ruling still has room for further consideration.

However, the prosecution appealed the decision, and the Taichung High Court overturned the original ruling. The High Court found that the initial decision needed further consideration, citing Shi's drug use, the injury to the officer, and his prior record of being a wanted person. The case has been sent back to the Changhua District Court for a new hearing, with a detention hearing scheduled for the next morning. Legal experts suggest that cases sent back to lower courts are typically reassigned to different judges to avoid concerns about procedural fairness.

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The original trial court's decision to release the defendant without bail, based on insufficient evidence to determine detention, still has room for further deliberation.