![Choi Mo, a taxi driver who killed an emergency patient by stopping an ambulance saying to deal with a contact accident, is attending a warrant deliberation held under the Seoul Eastern District Law on July 24 last year. [연합뉴스]](https://i0.wp.com/pds.joins.com/news/component/htmlphoto_mmdata/202102/24/b8119fa4-5a5a-43bc-ba09-d45bbaf1c8b2.jpg?w=560&ssl=1)
Choi Mo, a taxi driver who killed an emergency patient by stopping an ambulance saying to deal with a contact accident, is attending a warrant deliberation held under the Seoul Eastern District Law on July 24 last year. [연합뉴스]
A taxi driver sentenced to two years in prison at the first trial for deliberate accidents against an ambulance carrying emergency patients was sentenced to 7 years in prison by the prosecution. The taxi driver appealed to the court, saying, “I am reflecting on it, thinking that it is the price for the corona 19 confirmation.”
On the 24th, the prosecution at the decision hearing of Mr. Choi, 32, held at the hearing of the 3rd Division of the Seoul Eastern District Court (Chun-ho Kim), “The guilt is bad based on the motive and background of the crime.” He asked the court to sentence him to seven years in prison.
On June 8, last year, Choi deliberately caused a contact accident with an ambulance on a road in Gangdong-gu, Seoul, and was charged with blocking the road for 10 minutes, saying, “Take care of the accident first. If (the patient) dies, I will take responsibility.”
The patient’s survivors claimed that a 79-year-old patient with stage 4 lung cancer, who was in an ambulance, lost the opportunity to be admitted to the negative pressure isolation room due to Mr. Choi’s obstruction. This case was widely known and resentful when the son of a deceased patient filed a national petition to the Blue House to punish Choi.
Choi is also accused of collecting 20 million won in settlement money and medical expenses for a total of 6 incidents from 2015 to 2019 while working in driving duties such as chartered buses or company taxis and trucks.
Choi bowed his head in the final remarks of the anal trial, saying, “I deeply realized how much wrong I made after being tried and investigated for a long time. I am sincerely sorry for not killing my temper and causing damage to many other people.” .
He said, “I stood here with the wrong habits I cultivated while driving,” he said. “I will pay the price and reflect deeply to live a life that is helpful to society and others.”
The lawyer also said, “The defendant suffered from hospitalization in a psychiatric ward since childhood, and has a situation with an unfavorable family situation,” and said, “The defendant’s emotional disability was caused by another person, as in this case, and the When I heard it, it was expressed in this form.”
Choi was detained in the eastern detention center, but was confirmed by Corona 19, and was transferred to the second prison in North Gyeongsang Province in December of last year. Choi’s second sentence will be held on the morning of the 12th of next month.
Meanwhile, the police are also investigating the case in which the patient’s survivors sued Choi for murder and other nine charges. The surviving family also filed a lawsuit to claim damages for the mental suffering suffered by the family.
Reporter Dayoung Kim [email protected]
