The defendant, Mr. Zhang, was in tears. Yesterday, Mr. Zhang was tried at the Changping Court for涉嫌 traffic accident crime. Correspondent Gao Linlin took the photo.
Report by Chen Bo: In order to avoid oncoming traffic, Mr. Zhang mistakenly pressed the accelerator instead of the brake, resulting in the death of Ms. Wang, a mother whose child was only three months old. During the investigation, Mr. Zhang falsely claimed that she was pregnant. The police confirmed that the license plate of the vehicle involved in the accident was borrowed from another vehicle.
Yesterday, Mr. Zhang was tried at the Changping Court for涉嫌 traffic accident crime. She admitted her guilt and was willing to first compensate 100,000 yuan to the deceased's family.
Mistaking the accelerator for the brake led to the collision
At 8:40 AM on July 14, Mr. Zhang drove out of the Harmonious Home neighborhood in Changping District.
Mr. Zhang later stated that at the time of the incident, she intended to make a right turn and saw a car coming through the rearview mirror, so she turned the steering wheel to avoid it. However, the car suddenly rushed onto the sidewalk. In the confusion, she mistook the accelerator for the brake. The car stopped only after hitting a lamppost. Upon getting out of the car, she discovered that Ms. Wang, who lived in the same neighborhood, was lying on the ground with blood flowing from her mouth and nose.
The police confirmed that Mr. Zhang's car first hit Ms. Wang and then stopped after colliding with the lamppost. Both front tires had burst. The victim, Ms. Wang, passed away.
After the incident, at the traffic police station, Mr. Zhang claimed that she was two months pregnant and also had heart discomfort. Later, hospital examinations proved these claims to be false. Meanwhile, the police verified that due to the odd-even license plate restriction, the involved vehicle had borrowed the license plate of another vehicle for travel.
The traffic police determined that Mr. Zhang bore full responsibility for the accident.
Prosecution suggests lenient punishment
During yesterday's trial, the prosecution charged Mr. Zhang with涉嫌 traffic accident crime and suggested lenient punishment considering her self-surrender circumstances. However, since Mr. Zhang did not actively compensate the deceased's family after the accident, the prosecution did not offer specific sentencing recommendations.
In court, the defendant, Mr. Zhang, spoke softly and occasionally choked up or cried, making it difficult to continue. The judge repeatedly reminded her to speak louder.
Mr. Zhang voluntarily admitted her guilt, stating that her momentary confusion caused Ms. Wang's death, and apologized to her family. "All I can do now is try my best. I wish the person who died in the accident was me," Mr. Zhang said while crying.
Mr. Zhang's lawyer stated that the deceased's family believed the incident occurred at a bus stop, thus holding the bus company partially responsible. Therefore, the defendant has not reached a civil compensation agreement with the deceased's family. "Mr. Zhang's family conditions are average, but we are willing to compensate 100,000 yuan first," her lawyer stated.
The verdict was not announced in court.
After the trial, Mr. Zhang expressed deep regret, hoping for everyone's forgiveness, but lamented, "Unfortunately, everything cannot be undone."
■ Follow-up
No breast milk, baby cries all day
Deceased's family seeks 830,000 yuan in damages
Yesterday, Ms. Wang's aunt attended the hearing. After the trial, she cried out hoarsely, "No amount of money can bring Jiajia (Ms. Wang's nickname) back!" Ms. Wang's aunt mentioned that after the incident, Ms. Wang's daughter cried all day due to lack of breast milk, and the family cried while holding the child. "Jiajia graduated with a master's degree, got married just a year ago, and her family simply can't accept this reality."
It is reported that the deceased's family has filed a civil lawsuit with the court, demanding compensation of over 830,000 yuan from the defendant, Mr. Zhang, the owner of the vehicle involved, Mr. Wu, the vehicle insurance company, and the bus company.