On November 1, 2022, a tragic incident occurred in Taipei, resulting in the death of a Singaporean flight attendant who had arrived in Taiwan on leave.
The cause of the unfortunate demise was a drunk driving accident involving a 53-year-old man surnamed Hsiang, who rammed his Porsche into the victim, resulting in a fatal collision.
A Fatal Collision
The accident occurred around 9 pm on a rainy and dark night, where the victim, a man believed to be in his 30s or 40s, was attempting to cross the road, according to Taiwan News.
Hsiang hit the flight attendant with his Porsche, but despite slamming the brakes, the car didn’t stop immediately, sliding for a significant distance of 72.5 meters. The impact left a deep dent in the car’s hood and critically injured the victim.
The victim was rushed to the hospital but, unfortunately, medical efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at 10 pm.
It was later revealed that this was not Hsiang’s first encounter with drunk driving. He had previously been convicted of the same offense in two separate incidents, according to Focus Taiwan.
In 2019, he faced a four-month sentence for each case and had his driver’s license revoked. Despite the previous convictions, Hsiang had been released on bail after the latest incident.
Taipei prosecutors swiftly took action and indicted Hsiang for his reckless actions. He now faces a potential sentence ranging from five years to lifetime imprisonment, as well as a hefty fine of up to NT$3 million (S$127,385).
Alcohol Impairment and Negligence
Hsiang claimed that he had only consumed “a few glasses of red wine” during dinner with friends before the accident. He insisted that the alcohol did not hinder his reactions and blamed the rainy and dark conditions for the collision.
However, the police discovered that his blood alcohol level significantly exceeded the legal limit at the time of the accident, indicating a clear case of alcohol impairment.
According to TVBS, Hsiang said that he was “unlucky” and that he had stopped drinking at 4-5pm before going for a massage, and then to his shop before driving home.
Additionally, there was a “no pedestrian crossing” sign on the street where the victim attempted to cross, raising questions about negligence on both sides.