Drunk driver claims second life after smashing scooter

酒駕男再犯撞毀機車

Drunk driver kills second victim after his Mini Cooper crashed in to a scooter ridden by a 19-year-old soldier


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) -- A drunk driver behind the wheel of a Mini Cooper collided with a scooter ridden by a 19-year-old soldier on Monday evening (Jan. 4) in Keelung, killing him on the spot, the second victim of the intoxicated motorist's actions in ten years, reported Liberty Times.

The 35-year-old driver was identified as Li Sheng-kuang (李聖光), who for the death of the solider, surnamed Lin (林), is being charged with his third drunk driving offense and vehicular homicide by the Keelung Prosecutor's Office, and was released on NT$200,000 (US$6,755) bail with the help of his parents.

When asked in court if he had anything to say to the deceased, he at first did not say anything, but after being prodded by his father he shouted, "I am sorry for him!"

According to authorities, Li had been convicted of two prior drunk driving offenses. In May of 2008, he was arrested and sentenced to 59 days in jail by a New Taipei court for violating public safety. In November of the same year, while driving a scooter with his fiancee on board, he lost control of the vehicle and she fell to her death.

He had originally been sent to the New Taipei City Prosecutor's Office for her wrongful death, but charges were later dropped.

In 2014, Li was charged for his second drunk driving offense, though he was not involved in an accident, his blood alcohol measured 0.82 milligrams of alcohol per liter of breath (mg/L), well above the legal threshold of 0.15 mg/l, for which he was jailed for three months and fined NT$90,000 by the New Taipei City Court.

In this latest incident, Li was driving home on Gongjian Road in Keelung's Qidong District at 8 p.m. on Monday evening when his car suddenly swerved over the double yellow line and his car collided with Lin's scooter, killing the active-duty serviceman and only child.

According to an initial investigation, Li drank six cans of beer while fishing for shrimp in New Taipei City's Xizhi District, before driving to Keelung's Baifushe District to check on his claw crane business. He then headed home and while he took a construction detour on a road in Keelung's Qidu District, he swerved over the double yellow line and crashed into Lin's scooter. Lin was ejected approximately 100 meters from his scooter, and due to severe trauma he suffered to his head upon impact, he died on the spot.

When interviewed by the media outside of the funeral parlor, Lin's uncle said that once he heard that Li was a repeat offender, he could not accept that the bail was set at only NT$200,000. He called on the government to review its regulations on penalties for drunk driving and find more effective ways to prevent drunk driving.

The uncle also said that Lin's father was a blacksmith and his mother is a nurse and that they had encouraged him to join the army. He said he never thought that just as his future was beginning, his life would be cut short so quickly like this, he added that his parents are taking it really hard.