What sentence could a medical school lecturer who drank and drove and caused a series of accidents in Hanoi face?
The Hanoi Police Investigation Agency has prosecuted suspect Le Minh Giap (born in 1984, residing in Yen Nghia ward, Hanoi) to investigate the violation of road traffic regulations after a serious series of accidents occurred on the evening of July 16.
According to information from the investigation agency, the suspect Le Minh Giap was driving a car with license plate 30K-730.XX on Nguyen Trac Street in the direction from Le Trong Tan to Do Nghia Urban Area and collided with 2 cars and 5 motorbikes. This chain accident left 1 person dead and 2 others seriously injured.
Notably, through the alcohol test, this driver violated at a very high level with 0.861 mg/l of breath - far exceeding the permitted threshold. According to the Law on Traffic Safety, drivers of road vehicles must pay attention to observation, control speed, keep distance from vehicles in front and strictly prohibit the use of alcohol, beer, stimulants that lead to alcohol concentration in the blood or breath when driving a vehicle.
Accordingly, drivers who commit traffic violations causing serious consequences (death) will be prosecuted under Article 260 of the Penal Code.
In particular, the driver's violation of alcohol concentration is an aggravating circumstance in Clause 2, Article 260 of the Penal Code, with a penalty range of 3-10 years in prison.
At the investigation agency, the car driver admitted that he initially fell asleep and mistakenly stepped on the gas pedal. Experts said that alcohol was most likely the cause of the driver's drowsiness and the accident.
Although the consequences are undesirable, the fault is unintentional for the consequences, but even if the driver of the car is sleepy and accidentally steps on the gas pedal, in this situation he is still at fault and must still bear criminal responsibility.
The incident is considered a valuable lesson for car drivers and others, because just because of not complying with the law after consuming alcohol, beer, leading to loss of control, causing serious consequences and facing severe punishment. In addition, the victim's family had to bear the loss and damage to life and health.
The incident is also a strong warning to those who intend to drive after drinking alcohol.
Traffic violation handling situation
According to statistics from the Traffic Police Department, in the first 6 months of 2025, the national traffic police force inspected and handled 1.6 million cases of violations of road, railway and inland waterway traffic safety order; revoked more than 149 thousand driving licenses, certificates and professional certificates; and temporarily detained more than 424 thousand vehicles of all kinds.
Compared to the same period in 2024, the total number of cases handled decreased by more than 469 thousand cases. Of which, more than 310,000 cases of alcohol concentration violations were handled on the road, showing that this violation is still common.
Article 260. Crime of violating road traffic regulations
1. Anyone who participates in road traffic and violates road traffic safety regulations in one of the following cases shall be subject to a fine of from VND 30,000,000 to VND 100,000,000, non-custodial reform for up to 03 years or imprisonment from 01 year to 05 years:
a) Causing the death of 01 person or causing injury or damage to the health of 01 person with a bodily injury rate of 61% or more;
b) Causing injury or damage to the health of 02 people with a bodily injury rate of 31% to 60% for each person;
c) Causing injury or damage to the health of 03 or more people, with the total body injury rate of these people from 61% to 121%;
d) Causing property damage from VND 100,000,000 to under VND 500,000,000.
2. Committing a crime in one of the following cases shall be punishable by imprisonment from 03 years to 10 years:
a) Not having a driving license as prescribed;
b) In a state of using alcohol or beer with the alcohol concentration in the blood or breath exceeding the prescribed level or using drugs or other strong stimulants prohibited by law;
c) Causing an accident and then fleeing to avoid responsibility or intentionally failing to help the victim;
d) Failure to comply with the orders of the driver or traffic guide;
d) Causing the death of 02 people;
e) Causing injury or damage to the health of 02 people with a bodily injury rate of 61% or more for each person;
g) Causing injury or damage to the health of 03 or more people, with the total body injury rate of these people from 122% to 200%;
h) Causing property damage from VND 500,000,000 to under VND 1,500,000,000
3. Committing a crime in one of the following cases shall be punishable by imprisonment from 07 to 15 years:
a) Causing the death of 03 people or more;
b) Causing injury or damage to the health of 03 people with a bodily injury rate of 61% or more for each person;
c) Causing injury or damage to the health of 03 or more people, with the total body injury rate of these people being 201% or more;
d) Causing property damage of VND 1,500,000,000 or more.4. A road traffic participant who violates road traffic safety regulations causing injury or damage to the health of 01 person with a bodily injury rate of 31% to 60% or causing injury or damage to the health of 02 or more people with the total bodily injury rate of those
This person from 31% to 60%, shall be fined from 30,000,000 VND to 100,000,000 VND or sentenced to non-custodial reform for up to 03 years.
5. Violating road traffic safety regulations that may actually result in damage to the life, health or property of others if not prevented in time shall be subject to a fine of VND 10,000,000 to VND 50,000,000, non-custodial reform for up to 01 year or imprisonment from 03 months to 01 year.
6. The offender may also be banned from holding a position, practicing a profession or doing certain work from 01 to 05 years.
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