On the morning of 30/6, the Bien Hoa City People's Court was scheduled to deliver a verdict against 29-year-old Tan for "violation of road traffic regulations" after two days of deliberation. However, the judging panel recalled two witnesses, Le Dinh Chinh (the truck driver behind Tan at the time of the accident) and Nguyen Van Duc (Tan's assistant driver), to clarify certain details, but both were absent without explanation.
After conferring, the panel stated that Chinh's testimony was crucial to the case. Additionally, to ascertain the objective truth, the court needed to gather and supplement evidence, documents, and objects that could not be done immediately in court. Consequently, the panel decided to adjourn the trial, with the date for the next hearing to be announced later.
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Witness Le Dinh Chinh during the court session on the afternoon of 27/6. Photo: Thai Ha |
Witness Le Dinh Chinh during the court session on the afternoon of 27/6. Photo: Thai Ha
According to the indictment, at noon on 28/8/2024, Tan was driving a 15-ton truck with Nguyen Van Duc in the passenger seat on National Highway 51 from Vung Tau to Dong Nai. It was raining. When they reached Phuoc Tan ward, Bien Hoa City, Tan signaled a right turn to enter a gas station and collided with a motorbike driven by Mr. Dung, who was traveling in the same direction. The impact caused Dung to fall, and the front right wheel of the truck ran over him.
The investigation determined that Tan stopped the truck for a few seconds but didn't see the victim and the motorbike under the truck. Thinking the truck had hit a pothole, Tan continued driving into the gas station, causing the rear wheel to run over Dung again, resulting in his death.
In court, Tan agreed with the indictment, stating, "I didn't think I had caused an accident or run over anyone." He expressed remorse, "Because I didn't check, I caused serious consequences," and apologized to the victim's family.
Meanwhile, Chinh, as a witness, said he was driving in the same direction as Tan's truck and parallel to the victim's motorbike at the time of the accident. He saw Tan's truck signal a right turn into the gas station when it hit Dung's motorbike, which was moving forward. Tan’s truck stopped for 7-10 seconds then continued driving, running over the victim again. Seeing the truck (driven by Tan) moving and about to run over the victim a second time, Chinh sounded his horn continuously but the driver didn't stop.
The assistant driver, Nguyen Van Duc (the second witness), said he was using his phone at the time of the accident and didn't look in the rearview mirror.
Phuoc Tuan
