Drunk Driver Sentenced to 5 Years for Fatal Crash

A 24-year-old woman was sentenced to five years in prison for causing a fatal traffic accident while driving under the influence at more than double the speed limit. This sentence is one year longer than the four-year term imposed in the initial trial.

On September 12, the Chuncheon District Court's Criminal Division 1-3, led by Judge Heo Il-seung, overturned the original sentence and issued the five-year term for A, who was charged with causing death through dangerous driving under the Special Act on the Punishment of Specific Crimes and driving under the influence of alcohol.

The accident occurred at 1:22 a.m. on October 27, 2025, at the Dongbu Gyosa Intersection in Dangu-dong, Wonju, Gangwon Province. At the time, A was driving a Sonata sedan with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.131%.

A was traveling at 104 km/h in a zone where the speed limit was 50 km/h when she ignored a red light and entered the intersection. She collided with the front passenger door of a Sonata driven by B, 31, who was passing through the intersection legally.

The impact caused B's vehicle to be pushed into a traffic signal pole. B sustained serious injuries and was taken to the hospital, but died from brain damage the following afternoon.

A was prosecuted for causing death through dangerous driving and driving under the influence. It was revealed that she had previously received a fine in 2023 for causing injuries to another victim in a traffic accident.

The Chuncheon District Court's Wonju branch, which handled the first trial, stated, "The victim lost a precious life, and it is difficult to comprehend the sense of loss and grief felt by the victim's family who lost a loved one overnight," before sentencing A to four years in prison.

In the appeal, the prosecution added details about the speed limit of 50 km/h in the accident area to the charges, and the court approved the amendment. The appellate court considered A's actions of driving under the influence, violating traffic signals, and exceeding the speed limit significantly, leading to the heavier five-year sentence.

The court noted, "The victim lost her life at the young age of 31, and the family is pleading for severe punishment for the defendant," while also acknowledging that A has shown remorse and that the vehicle was covered by comprehensive insurance, allowing the family to receive compensation.