Driver Who Hit Pedestrian and Drove Away While Laughing Caught by Dashcam

A driver who hit a pedestrian while drunk parking and fled the scene, only to claim in court that he was unaware he had hit anyone, has been given a suspended prison sentence after his dashcam provided evidence of his guilt.

The Jeonju District Court, presided over by Judge Kim Hyun-ji of the 6th Criminal Division, announced today (July 10) that it sentenced the defendant to one year and two months in prison, suspended for three years, on charges of violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Crimes (hit-and-run resulting in injury) and the Road Traffic Act (drunk driving).

The defendant was charged with reversing his vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.114%—a level warranting license revocation—at an apartment complex in Muju-gun, Jeonbuk, at approximately 8:47 p.m. on September 6 of last year, and striking a pedestrian who was standing behind the car.

Despite the protest from the pedestrian, who suffered injuries to their knees and feet, the defendant left the parking lot while laughing.

Even after standing trial for the incident, the defendant argued through his attorney that the victim did not suffer injuries that would qualify as bodily harm under criminal law, and that even if there were injuries, he had no intent to flee because he was unaware that he had hit the victim.

However, the dashcam in the defendant's vehicle contained audio and video that contradicted these claims.

The court confirmed that the rear-facing dashcam footage recorded continuous beeping sounds as the vehicle approached the pedestrian and others at the time of the accident.

Furthermore, when the victim approached the defendant, suspecting him of drunk driving, the defendant remarked, "That person is funny," clearly indicating that he was aware of the person's presence behind the vehicle, yet he continued to attempt to park.

The court stated, "The victim has consistently testified that the defendant, who was driving under the influence, hit him and fled, and this is consistent with the dashcam footage, making the testimony credible." The court added, "Given the extent of the injuries, such as the photos of the wounds taken by the victim, the defendant should have taken appropriate measures, such as providing aid after the accident."

The court further noted, "The defendant hit a pedestrian who was trying to stop him from drunk driving and even fled the scene, yet he has shown no remorse and denied the charges with excuses that are difficult to accept, indicating a poor attitude." However, the court concluded, "We have determined the sentence by taking into account that the victim's injuries were relatively minor and that the defendant's vehicle was covered by comprehensive insurance, which allowed for compensation to be made to the victim."
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.