An unlicensed elderly driver who struck and killed two elementary-school children in central Taiwan last year has been sentenced to 14 months in prison for negligent homicide.
A verdict released by the Changhua District Court yesterday said that the judge handed down the sentence to the 74-year-old driver, surnamed Hsiao (蕭), who showed no remorse for driving without a license and failed to reach a settlement with the victims’ family.
The ruling can be appealed.
Photo courtesy of a reader
The incident occurred in the county’s Shengang Township (伸港) at 6:21pm on Feb. 22 last year, when Hsiao’s SUV was traveling at 77kph as three Chen siblings — two sisters and a brother — were crossing an intersection on a crosswalk while the pedestrian light was red.
The two sisters, who were in third and fourth grade, initially stopped breathing at the scene, but were resuscitated by emergency personnel.
They remained in critical condition and died in September and October of the same year.
Police ruled out the possibility of the motorist driving under the influence.
During the trial, Hsiao said that he was not at fault, as he did not exceed the speed limit and the traffic light was green.
However, Taiwanese law requires that drivers yield to pedestrians at crosswalks regardless of the traffic light.
The children’s grandfather told reporters he planned to appeal the ruling, calling it “unfair.”
The Changhua District Prosecutors’ Office said it would decide whether to appeal after receiving the verdict, and that the family’s views would be taken into consideration.
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