Meth addict driver transports illegal timber in expired car, crashes into police

Regarding the incident of a wood-carrying truck crashing straight into a traffic police officer on duty, injuring one traffic police officer, on the afternoon of July 29, Colonel Le Hoai Nam - Head of Kong Chro District Police said that the Investigation Agency is continuing to detain Nguyen Thanh Hung (born in 1986, residing in Group 9, Tay Son Ward, An Khe Town, Gia Lai) to investigate the act of "Resisting a person on duty".

Initially, the Investigation Agency determined that the car driven by Hung at the time of the incident was carrying more than 200 kg of precious wood (rosewood and rosewood). In addition, the car was also carrying Dinh Hbap (born in 2004, residing in Brang village, Ia Hoi commune, Dak Po district, Gia Lai province) and Pham Minh Sang (born in 1992, residing in group 1, Tay Son ward, An Khe town, Gia Lai province).

“Hung has a criminal record and is being re-educated locally. Hung’s initial statement that he caused the accident by “stepping on the gas pedal by mistake” is completely unreasonable. Because before the incident, the traffic police had signaled to stop the car because they suspected the car was illegally transporting goods, but Hung still did not obey the order and instead accelerated to escape.

Traffic police teams organized forces to intercept and signal the vehicle to stop for 10 km, but the driver still did not stop and deliberately crashed into the traffic police vehicle, causing injuries to the traffic police officer," Colonel Nam analyzed.

At the police station, Hung confessed to having been addicted to crystal meth for a long time. Previously, on the evening of July 26, Hung used crystal meth in An Khe town. On the afternoon of July 27, Hung drove a 12-seat passenger van with license plate 60K-7065 into Kong Chro district to transport illegal timber to An Khe town for sale.

At that time, a patrol team of the Traffic Police Team of Kong Chro District Police, including Lieutenant Nguyen Ham Chau and Lieutenant Le Ho Dai, was on patrol duty in Kong Chro town. Discovering the 12-seat car mentioned above, carrying a number of forest timbers in the back of the car running at high speed, comrades Chau and Dai signaled the car to stop for inspection, but the driver did not comply, sped away in the direction of Kong Chro to An Khe town.

Seeing that, Lieutenant Chau called another traffic police team on duty at Km 14+500 on Provincial Road 667, through Kong Yang commune, Kong Chro district, led by Captain Nguyen Duc Nha, to coordinate the arrest.

When Hung's vehicle arrived at village 5, Kong Yang commune, Kong Chro district, despite receiving the traffic police team's signal to stop (led by Captain Nha) and a specialized vehicle blocking the road, Hung did not comply but drove straight into the traffic police vehicle in an attempt to escape.

Hung's strong collision caused Traffic Police Captain Nguyen Duc Nha to be thrown to the side of the road, injuring himself, and the two cars were severely damaged.

Investigation results showed that the car that Hung drove into the traffic police team had expired its license in 2016. Immediately after the incident, driver Hung and two people in the car were arrested. Hung was taken for a drug test and tested positive for crystal meth.

Colonel Phan Thanh Tam - Deputy Director of Gia Lai Provincial Police affirmed that the behavior of driver Nguyen Thanh Hung violated the life of another person, sufficient to constitute the crime of "murder" (as stipulated in Point d, Clause 1, Article 123 of the 2015 Penal Code, amended and supplemented in 2017) with the circumstance of killing a person on duty or for the victim's official reasons.

“Hung was on drugs so he drove very recklessly. He knew that if he crashed straight into the traffic police team, it would be dangerous, but he still deliberately drove into the traffic police team on duty,” Colonel Phan Thanh Tam analyzed.

According to Colonel Phan Thanh Tam, recently, there have been many cases of traffic violators driving into law enforcement officers when asked to stop, and many cases have been prosecuted for "murder" with extremely severe penalties.

“Regarding the incident that just occurred in Gia Lai province, the Investigation Agency is urgently investigating, clarifying the behavior and awareness of this car driver, clarifying the consequences and other factors to determine the signs constituting a crime, in order to handle the right person, the right crime, and the right law.

In case the behavior, consequences and other factors are sufficient grounds to prosecute for murder, the case will be prosecuted, the accused will be prosecuted and an investigation will be conducted according to the law," Colonel Phan Thanh Tam added.

On the afternoon of July 29, lawyer Nguyen Van Duc - Deputy of Van Ly Law Office (Can Tho City Bar Association) said that the behavior of driver Nguyen Thanh Hung caused harm to the health of the person performing official duties and damaged property.

“Obviously, this is an act of “intentional error” and “endangering society”. The driver’s behavior has caused negative effects and public discontent,” lawyer Duc emphasized, saying that the prosecuting agencies need to promptly and strictly handle the case to deter and prevent crime.

According to the lawyer's analysis, normally, for the act of transporting and trading illegal timber, once discovered, the subject often acts aggressively, fiercely resists, uses means, tools and weapons to escape, regardless of all possible consequences for the task force and the surrounding environment.

“In the immediate future, the Gia Lai provincial prosecution agency needs to promptly initiate a case and prosecute driver Nguyen Thanh Hung for the crime of “Resisting a person on official duty” as prescribed in Article 330 of the Penal Code, or the crime of “Murder” as prescribed in Article 123 of the Penal Code and “Crime of destroying or intentionally damaging property” as prescribed in Article 178 of the Penal Code.

The charges for prosecution depend on the level, nature, and details of the criminal behavior, in order to promptly handle, suppress, and deter crime in general. Especially for this type of crime, it has become topical recently," said lawyer Duc.

Regarding the remaining group of people traveling in the same vehicle with driver Nguyen Thanh Hung, lawyer Nguyen Van Duc said that if they do not take action or say anything to stop them, leaving the consequences that may happen to the traffic police on duty, the Investigation Agency should also prosecute the group of people for assisting them with similar actions.

“Given the above alarming situation, we request that the authorities strictly handle those who disregard the lives of others and the law, especially those who oppose law enforcement officers, in order to maintain legal order and contribute to social stability,” lawyer Duc emphasized.

Regarding Captain Nguyen Duc Nha's health, immediately after the incident, his teammates took him to the Kong Chro District Medical Station for emergency treatment. Captain Nha was then transferred to Binh Dinh General Hospital for further treatment. Information from Binh Dinh General Hospital said that in addition to 2 broken ribs, the patient also suffered multiple soft tissue injuries. After nearly 2 days of treatment, Captain Nha's health is currently recovering.