The Chinese court has handed down a severe punishment to a reckless driver who caused a fatal accident in the heart of Guangzhou. Mr. Yuan Mo, a young driver in his 20s, was sentenced to death and stripped of his political rights for causing the death of 18 people and injuring 13 others as he drove recklessly through the city center.
The court in Guangzhou announced on the 18th that Mr. Yuan had endangered public safety in a dangerous way and was found guilty of causing the accident. On January 11th, at 5:25 pm, Mr. Yuan was driving a black BMW SUV when he drove through a pedestrian crossing in downtown Guangzhou, hitting pedestrians.
According to CCTV and black box footage of the accident that was posted on social media, the car sped towards dozens of pedestrians who were crossing the street with the green light on. Even after people fell to the ground, the car did not slow down and continued to drive into the second lane, reversing and turning around, hitting more pedestrians.
Eyewitnesses reported a chilling scene where a 6-year-old girl fell down and didn’t move, and the injured people were screaming, but the driver didn’t slow down and continued to drive recklessly. Mr. Yuan hit more pedestrians while trying to escape, even damaging road structures during the U-turn process, but still drove away. He even threw a 100 yuan (about $18) bill on the street when the road was blocked and he couldn’t drive anymore.
The CCTV footage captured Mr. Yuan almost hitting a pedestrian who was crossing the street before the accident happened. The court criticized him, saying that his criminal means were extremely cruel, and the consequences were severe. He intentionally drove the car to hit pedestrians and road facilities, causing multiple casualties and property damage.
The sentencing of Mr. Yuan to death has sent a strong message to drivers in China to obey traffic rules and drive responsibly. The court’s decision shows that such reckless behavior will not be tolerated and those who endanger public safety will face severe consequences.
In conclusion, Mr. Yuan’s actions were inexcusable, and his punishment is a stark reminder of the importance of responsible driving. This tragic accident could have been avoided if he had followed traffic rules and shown respect for the safety of others on the road.