Woman Dies After Being Thrown From Car Hood While Trying to Stop Drunk Driving Partner; Partner Sentenced to 15 Years

(CNA, Taipei, June 18) A woman surnamed Zhang was found guilty of causing death by injury and sentenced to 15 years in prison, with the sentence finalized by the Supreme Court. Zhang had driven her partner, surnamed Lin, off the hood of her car in Yilan County in 2024 while intoxicated, causing Lin to fall and later die from her injuries.

According to court documents, Zhang and Lin had been in a cohabiting relationship since 2022. In October 2024, after consuming alcohol at a restaurant and a guesthouse in Jiaoxi Township, Yilan County, Zhang attempted to drive. Lin, seeing this, tried to stop her by physically blocking the car and lying on the hood. However, Zhang accelerated and drove away, causing Lin to be thrown from the vehicle on Provincial Highway 191. Lin was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead.

In the first trial, the National Judges Court of the Yilan District Court found that Zhang, disregarding the danger to Lin, drove from the guesthouse. Zhang accelerated and then braked, causing Lin to fall to her death. Although Zhang did not intend to kill Lin, the court ruled that a reasonable person could foresee the risk of death from such dangerous driving. Therefore, Zhang was convicted of causing death by injury and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment after considering all factors.

Zhang appealed the verdict. The Taiwan High Court, in its appellate review, found no violations of experience or logical reasoning in the facts or laws applied by the original court. It deemed the judgment free of any errors or improprieties and considered the sentence appropriate, upholding the original decision and dismissing the appeal.

Upon further appeal to the Supreme Court, the court found no errors in the factual findings or legal application of the original judgment and deemed the sentence appropriate. The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal yesterday, finalizing the case. (Editor: Yang Sheng-ru) 1150618

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