Man Sentenced to 12 Years and 7 Months for Fatal Drug-Impaired Driving Crash

(Central News Agency, reporter Xie Junlin, Taipei 12th) A man, Peng Bochao, drove a vehicle after consuming multiple drugs, and while driving, he also inhaled an 'etomidate' zombie vape pen. He drove the wrong way in Hsinchu City, causing a crash that resulted in 1 death and 4 injuries. Both the first and second instance courts sentenced him to 12 years and 7 months in prison for offenses including causing death by unsafe driving. The Supreme Court rejected his appeal, finalizing the sentence.

According to court records from all instances, Peng did not hold a valid driver's license. He had been released from prison in January 2024 after completing a sentence for another case. On September 15 and 16 of the same year, he consumed various drugs including heroin, amphetamine, ketamine, metomidate, and etomidate. At around 4 PM on September 16, he drove a car while also using an e-cigarette pod containing metomidate and etomidate.

According to the verdict, while driving through a flashing yellow light intersection in front of Hulin Junior High School in Hsinchu City, the effects of the drugs impaired his judgment, rendering him unable to drive safely. He oversped, crossed the double yellow line, and drove into oncoming traffic, causing a crash that killed one person and injured four others.

After trial by a citizen judge panel at the Hsinchu District Court in the first instance, Peng was sentenced to 12 years and 7 months in prison for offenses including causing death by unsafe driving under the Criminal Code.

The case was appealed to the second instance, the Taiwan High Court. The High Court ruled that the first instance verdict had considered Peng's motives and circumstances, conformed to the principle of proportionality, balanced just retribution and preventive purposes of punishment, and did not involve any abuse or overstepping of discretion. The appeal was dismissed.

Peng appealed the decision again to the Supreme Court. After review, the Supreme Court found no errors in the original judgment regarding fact-finding or application of law, and deemed the sentence appropriate. The appeal was dismissed yesterday, and the case is now finalized. (Editor: Huang Mingxi) 1150612

Cherish life, stay away from drugs. You can call the Drug Abuse Prevention Center hotline at 0800-770-885 for addiction information and professional assistance.

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