The Taichung District Court on Friday handed down a seven-year prison term to Chen Jui-ying (陳瑞盈), a repeat drunk driver who killed two people riding motorcycles in a crash this year.
The families of those killed said that they did not accept the ruling and are angry at the justice system for “such a lenient punishment.”
Chen, 49, prior to the crash had two DUI convictions and his driver’s license was suspended.
Chen, after drinking on the night of Feb. 2, drove his SUV at high speeds on the wrong side of a road for more than 1km in Taichung leading up to the crash, police said at the time.
He plowed into several scooters and parked cars, killing a 21-year-old male university student surnamed Peng (彭) and a 25-year-old woman surnamed Cheng (鄭), who was engaged to be married, police said.
Chen had a blood-alcohol level of 0.81 milligrams per liter (mg/L), in excess of the legal limit of 0.15mg/L, they said.
Prosecutors requested a 10-year sentence.
The judges said that Chen had arranged compensation, transferring ownership of an apartment and two suites to the families, as well as payments totaling NT$1.05 million (US$33,215).
Chen admitted to drunk driving, but said he did not know he was speeding and on the wrong side of the road because he had taken amphetamines, the judges said, adding that he had shown remorse.
This coupled with the compensation prompted the reduced sentence, they said.
“We cannot accept this ruling. Why is Taiwanese law so lenient on drunk drivers?” Peng’s father said.
“The prosecutors sought 10 years, but the first ruling brought only a seven-year term. How much more leniency will the court show in the second ruling?” he said.
“The drunk driver apologized to us, but what use is that? My son is dead and we cannot get him back,” he said, adding that he was his only son.
Cheng’s mother was sobbing after hearing the ruling.
She said that her heart had suffered much pain and sorrow since her daughter was killed.
The US House of Representatives yesterday passed the PROTECT Taiwan Act, which stipulates that Washington would exclude China from participating in major global financial organizations if its actions directly threaten Taiwan’s security. The bill, proposed by Republican US Representative Frank Lucas, passed with 395 votes in favor and two against. It stipulates that if China’s actions pose any threat to Taiwan’s security, economic or social systems, the US would, “to the maximum extent practicable,” exclude China from international financial institutions, including the G20, the Bank for International Settlements and the Financial Stability Board. The bill makes it clear that China
Taiwan’s Li Yu-hsiang performs in the men’s singles figure skating short program at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, on Tuesday. Li finished 24th with a score of 72.41 to advance to Saturday’s free skate portion of the event. He is the first Taiwanese to qualify for the free skate of men’s singles figure skating at the Olympics since David Liu in 1992.
Garbage and recycling schedules are to vary from Saturday through Sunday next week over the Lunar New Year holiday period. The following collection information is from the governments of the six special municipalities. Taipei Regular service: Sunday to Monday next week. No service: Tuesday to Thursday next week. Extra service: Friday next week. Regular service resumes: Saturday next week. New Taipei City Extra service: Sunday. Adjusted collection time: Monday next week — garbage collection is to begin in the morning and end at 6pm. No service: Tuesday to Thursday next week. Regular service resumes: Friday next week. Note: Garbage can be dropped off at 70
A total lunar eclipse coinciding with the Lantern Festival on March 3 would be Taiwan’s most notable celestial event this year, the Taipei Astronomical Museum said, urging skywatchers not to miss it. There would be four eclipses worldwide this year — two solar eclipses and two lunar eclipses — the museum’s Web site says. Taiwan would be able to observe one of the lunar eclipses in its entirety on March 3. The eclipse would be visible as the moon rises at 5:50pm, already partly shaded by the Earth’s shadow, the museum said. It would peak at about 7:30pm, when the moon would
RSS