Yeh Kuan-heng (葉冠亨), who was convicted of causing the death of two people while driving drunk, was released from jail yesterday after serving half of his six-year prison term.
The 25-year-old Yeh, dubbed “Master Yeh” due to his family’s wealth, walked out of the Mingde Minimum Security Prison in Tainan yesterday afternoon.
The High Court in 2013 handed Yeh a six-year prison term, after he crashed his Mercedes-Benz at high speed under the influence of alcohol on the morning of April 25, 2012. Yeh hit a dumpster truck and his car spun out of control, killing Chen Kang-yi (陳岡逸), a passenger in Yeh’s vehicle, and a 47-year-old pedestrian named Lee Hsing-jung (李幸蓉). Three passersby were also injured.
Photo: Wu Chun-eng, Taipei Times
Prison deputy warden Chiang Ching-lung (江慶隆) said Yeh was eligible to apply for parole after serving half of his prison term.
“It was a first-time conviction. We assigned him to work in the kitchen, where he prepared vegetables. Yeh was diligent and completed his tasks as assigned. He behaved well,” Chiang said.
Following his release, Yeh told reporters he was thankful to the victims’ families for coming to a compensation agreement with him, adding that he had reflected on the tragedy and become a changed man.
“If the roles were reversed and I was a victim, I think I might never forgive the person who caused the accident,” Yeh said. “I know my actions were wrong and I apologize to the victims. I will pay the tuition fees of Lee’s young daughter until she becomes an adult.”
Yeh also vowed to volunteer in campaigns against drunk driving.
However, news of Yeh’s parole was greeted with furious surprise by some, with many netizens expressing outrage at his release and disbelief in his turnaround.
Lee’s brother, Lee Fu-sheng (李富盛), was angered by the news, saying: “Who gave Yeh the right to be paroled?”
“Although we cannot criticize the system, we question how Yeh was granted parole. We suspect Yeh’s family used their wealth and influence to sway officials into releasing their son early,” Lee Fu-sheng said. “What Yeh did to my family cannot be forgiven. Although Yeh has apologized, the tragedy he caused has brought suffering to many.”
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