Truck driver crashes into 3 houses, sentenced to 4 years in prison

Truck crashed into 3 houses at dawn, many people escaped death

(Baonghean.vn) - A truck was traveling on Highway 48 when it suddenly lost control and crashed into 3 houses on the side of the road, causing panic among many people.

On July 31, the People's Court of Quy Hop district held a first-instance trial of the criminal case against defendant Sam Thanh Tu (born 1992), residing in Chau Cuong commune (Quy Hop), for the crime of "Violating regulations on road traffic participation".

According to the indictment, at about 1:45 a.m. on June 8, 2018, at Km 53+700m of National Highway 48, passing through Sang Le intersection, Hop Tam hamlet, Tam Hop commune (Quy Hop), a tractor truck with license plate 37C - 173.39 was pulling a trailer with license plate 3R - 015.92 of Phu An Company Ltd., driven by Sam Thanh Tu (with a driver's license), traveling from Quy Hop town to Nghia Dan, crashed into three houses along the road.

Defendant Sam Thanh Tu. Photo: Le Phan

Three households include: Mr. Tran Ngoc Linh, Mr. Vu Van Minh and Mrs. Dau Thi Hang. As a result, some areas of houses and goods were damaged, cars were damaged, and driver Sam Thanh Tu was injured.

Due to drinking alcohol and not being in control of the steering wheel, driver Tu drove on the wrong side of the road, causing property damage to 3 households of nearly 654 million VND and damaged cars, causing damage to Phu An Company Limited of 685 million VND. The total damage for which defendant Sam Thanh Tu must bear criminal responsibility is more than 1.4 billion VND.

According to regulations, Phu An Company Limited is the owner of the vehicle that caused the accident, so it is required to pay civil compensation to the three families of the victims. Before the trial took place, two households, including Tran Ngoc Linh and Dau Thi Hang, had reached an agreement with Phu An Company Limited, so they were exempted from the trial. Phu An Company Limited must pay civil compensation to Mr. Vu Van Minh's family of more than 913 million VND.

Accident scene. Photo: Le Phan

Based on the evidence and documents examined at the trial and the results of the debate at the trial, the Trial Panel sentenced the defendant Sam Thanh Tu to 4 years in prison for the crime of "Violating regulations on controlling road vehicles".

Defendant Tu must compensate Phu An Company Limited 685 million VND for the damaged car and return 400 million VND that the company paid to the families of the civil victims.