Judges and law enforcement officials have sent clear signals through recent court verdicts and proposed new regulations that drunk drivers can expect harsher punishment.
At the same time as an unlicensed drunk driver who killed four people and injured one last year in Sichuan province was handed a death sentence on Thursday, transport regulators in the city of Nanjing were proposing to permanently revoke drunk drivers' licenses if they cause traffic accidents.
Sun Weiming, a 30-year-old company executive in Chengdu, Sichuan province, was found guilty of endangering public safety and sentenced to death by the Chengdu Intermediate People's Court.
He is thought to be China's first drunk driver to be charged with "endangering public safety" and sentenced to death.
Sun drove his Buick into four oncoming sedans on Dec 14. Tests after the pile-up showed he had 135.8 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood. A person is considered a drunk driver at 80 milligrams.
Investigation revealed Sun had been driving without a license since May 2008.
The Chengdu Intermediate People's Court said he was convicted of "endangering public safety" instead of a "traffic offense" - a lesser charge that usually carries a three-year jail term - because he had been intentional in his behavior.
Sun said he planned to appeal to a higher court.
In the US the condemned man would have been charged with vehicular homicide.
http://
www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-07/25/content_8471989.htm
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