Changhua: The Changhua District Court has sentenced a man to nine years and six months in prison for a drunk driving hit-and-run that resulted in the death of a man and injury to his wife.

According to Focus Taiwan, the 45-year-old driver, surnamed Huang, received a sentence of seven years and two months for causing a death while driving under the influence, and an additional four years and eight months for fleeing the scene of the accident. The court consolidated these sentences to a total of nine years and six months, as stated in a news release issued on Thursday. The court's verdict is open to appeal.

Huang's incident occurred on March 16, 2024, when he started driving in Changhua's Hemei Township at 7:37 p.m. after consuming alcohol at a friend's house. Just one minute later, he hit a married couple walking on the roadside. The collision sent the husband into a gutter and caused the wife to fall in as well, based on the court's statement. Huang briefly stopped at the scene for six seconds but did not exit his vehicle before fleeing. Passers-by later discovered the couple and took them to a hospital.

Huang was apprehended by the police and consented to a breath test at 10:44 p.m., which showed a breath alcohol concentration of 0.7 milligrams per liter, significantly exceeding the legal limit of 0.15 mg/L, as noted by the court. The husband succumbed to his injuries 21 days later, suffering from head trauma and complications from acute respiratory distress syndrome.

The court determined that Huang was not only driving under the influence but was also speeding at night and failing to maintain a proper lookout, holding him fully accountable for the crash. After the collision, Huang fled the scene, attempting to evade responsibility and showing disregard for the victims. This action critically delayed rescue efforts, the court mentioned.

The court also highlighted that Huang initially attempted to place the blame on his wife by alleging she was driving. He later retracted his guilty plea for fleeing the scene, claiming he had not intended for anyone to die. These actions, according to the court, demonstrated a lack of genuine remorse. Nonetheless, the court considered his family situation, noting that he has two underage children and no prior criminal or traffic violations.