20s listening to 'game YouTube' while driving... tragic family death

A 10-month sentence for the safe doesn't seem like a light punishment...

It's really sad that someone has died, and the law is like this ㅠㅠ

I'm so sad that you reached an agreement with the bereaved family.

Sigh...

A public official in their 20s, who caused an accident while listening to a gaming-related YouTube video and driving, resulting in the death of their entire family, has been detained.

According to the legal community on the 12th, Judge Hwang Hae-chul of the Chuncheon District Court Wonju Branch, Criminal Division 3, sentenced a man in his 20s, A, who was indicted without detention on charges of violating the Special Act on Traffic Accident Handling (homicide), to 10 months in prison.

Mr. A hit Mr. B (86) and his daughter-in-law Ms. C (59), who were crossing the crosswalk, while driving at an intersection in Hoengseong County, Gangwon Province, around 6:12 PM on November 15th last year. As a result of the accident, Mr. B died at the scene, and Ms. C was seriously injured and taken to the hospital, but ultimately died.

Looking at the black box footage submitted to the court, Mr. A could have clearly seen the victims crossing the crosswalk slowly starting 6 seconds before the accident. However, due to not properly paying attention to the front and speeding at over 87.5 km/h, he caused the accident.

At the time, Mr. A was found to be driving a vehicle while playing a gaming-related YouTube video. Mr. A claimed, "I only listened to the YouTube video with the sound."

The court judged that "(A) is not certain whether he watched the video, but it is clear that at least the defendant's speeding and neglect of forward observation were influenced by the YouTube video playback."

Furthermore, he stated, "Even considering that the victims' families have reached an agreement and do not wish for punishment, the defendant's negligence in this incident is too severe," and "Strict punishment is unavoidable for the wrongdoing that took two lives."

Meanwhile, public servant Mr. A's position was revoked due to this accident. Both Mr. A and the prosecution appealed the first trial verdict.

<Source: Kukmin Ilbo>