A heavily intoxicated passenger who pushed a designated driver out of the driver's seat and drove with him hanging from the vehicle, resulting in his death, has been sentenced to 13 years in prison in an appellate court as well.

The 3rd Criminal Division of the Daejeon High Court dismissed the appeals filed by both the defendant, 36-year-old A, who was indicted on charges including murder, and the prosecution, upholding the 13-year prison sentence handed down in the first trial.

A is accused of pushing a designated driver in his 60s, B, out of the driver's seat on a road in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, at around 1:30 AM on November 14 of last year, and driving for about 1 minute and 40 seconds over a distance of 1.5 kilometers with B hanging by his waist caught in the seatbelt, ultimately causing his death.

At the time, A's blood alcohol concentration was 0.152%, a state of severe intoxication well above the license revocation threshold.

Enraged because the driver did not cross speed bumps carefully, A assaulted B and accelerated rapidly or sharply turned the steering wheel, causing the vehicle to crash into guardrails and other structures, leaving B with severe head injuries that led to his death.

During the original trial, A denied any intent to commit murder, claiming he could not remember due to being drunk, but the first-instance court sentenced him to 13 years in prison, stating that "reckless intent is recognized."

Both the prosecution, arguing the sentence was too lenient, and A, arguing it was too harsh, appealed, but their appeals were rejected.

The appellate court stated, "Although the defendant confessed to all murder charges during the appeal, the bereaved family repeatedly pleads for severe punishment," adding, "There is no change in sentencing conditions that would make it unreasonable to maintain the original judgment."

(Photo: Yonhap News)