The Henan province prosecutor's office recently announced details of a case where a man identified as Su was arrested in January last year (1/2025) for drunk driving. Police later discovered he had been fined two times previously for driving under the influence without a license. Su was released on bail pending investigation.
Under Chinese law, drunk driving is classified as dangerous driving, punishable by license revocation, one to six months in prison, and a fine.
Fearing imprisonment and burdened by heavy debt, Su worried a prison sentence would destroy any chance to rebuild his life, prompting him to decide to fake his death.
In June last year (6/2025), Su purchased a coffin, scattered empty pill bottles throughout his home, held his breath, and used a cooling device to lower his body temperature, staging a fake fatal overdose.
His family covered his head with a bedsheet, claiming his face was "deformed" by the overdose.
Before nightfall, his mother and grandmother hastily buried the coffin, while Su fled to Yunnan province in southwest China to seek employment.
Police arrived at the scene after receiving reports of Su's "death", but were unable to examine the body because the coffin had already been buried.
Police suspicion arose due to the family's failure to seek emergency medical attention for the deceased and the pre-purchase of the coffin.
Investigators subsequently found no hospital death certificate, cremation records, or evidence of death registration.
Relatives and villagers also reported that his face remained covered and only his mother and grandmother had seen the body.
After reviewing surveillance video data, bank transactions, and phone records, police concluded Su was still alive and launched a manhunt.
Su was arrested in April (4/2026) and has been sentenced to five months in prison along with a fine of 20,000 yuan (approximately 80 million VND).
Police have also opened a criminal investigation into his mother and grandmother on suspicion of harboring and protecting a criminal.
"Faking death to evade the law is not only futile but can also lead to more serious criminal liability," stated the prosecutor handling the case.
Hai Thu (According to SCMP)
