Zheng Yuehui, a correspondent of our newspaper stationed in Wenzhou, reported via journalist Gan Lingfeng:
"The traffic police were heartbroken when they saw the scene."
"Don't drive after drinking. How could you forget this just because it's the New Year?"
"Little Gan, as soon as I heard about this accident, I wanted to call you. I hope your newspaper can give everyone a reminder,"
yesterday, Officer Chen from the Accident Handling Team of Ruian Traffic Police Brigade spoke loudly on the phone.
"When I saw the scene, I was really heartbroken. A little boy is gone just like that. During the New Year, everyone has more opportunities to drink alcohol, almost every meal involves drinking, and every day people go out to pay New Year visits. Please remember not to drive after drinking, and don't drink if you're driving. You can take a taxi, find someone to drive for you, or leave a person who doesn't drink as a backup driver."
On the first day of the lunar new year at noon, Mr. Lao Wu's home in Dongshan Street, Ruian City, was visited by a large group of guests. Including his brother-in-law, they all came to pay New Year visits, and they drank quite a bit.
Later, Mr. Lao Wu said he only drank two bottles of beer. Anyway, the alcohol test showed that he was driving under the influence.
At around 1:30 pm, Mr. Lao Wu needed to go out to run an errand. His car was parked at the door, so he had to back it out.
At that moment, a five-year-old boy from the same village was playing by the roadside. The boy's grandfather had brought him out after lunch. There was an elder pavilion nearby, where the grandfather chatted with a group of elders, while the boy wandered off to play on his own.
Mr. Lao Wu, tipsy, was reversing the car. He claimed that before reversing, he looked behind and didn't see anyone. But not long after reversing, he suddenly felt a bump and suspected that he might have hit a stone.
When he got out of the car, Mr. Lao Wu was terrified: the boy was crushed under the left wheel of the car, motionless. Blood covered the brand-new clothes he had worn for the New Year.
After seeing this scene, the boy's grandfather trembled all over and couldn't speak. The boy's father used to be a carpenter and later became a self-employed individual. Life hasn't been easy these past few years; he had a daughter in his twenties and finally had a son at the age of 37.
Yesterday afternoon, Mr. Lao Wu was criminally detained. He is 46 years old and also a self-employed individual.
Everyone was happily celebrating the New Year. Now, it's such a tragedy for these two families in the neighborhood.