On 3/12, Vinh Long Provincial Police announced the temporary suspension of the case and the investigation against Nguyen Van Bao Trung, 33, from Tam Ngai commune. Trung was the driver involved in a road traffic regulation violation case in Vinh Xuan commune, which resulted in the death of a 9th-grade student on 4/9/2024.

In September, the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Psychiatry issued a health assessment report, concluding that Trung did not suffer from any mental illness before, during, or after the incident (up until he was shot by the victim's father on 28/4). However, since the shooting and currently, Trung "has a mental illness: dementia in other specified diseases classified elsewhere (F02.8-ICD10)".

Subsequently, forensic reports on injuries and mental health from the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Psychiatry and Vinh Long Forensic Center indicated Trung suffered a 90% body injury. Mentally, Trung has lost the ability to perceive and control his actions due to moderate dementia. Clinically, he remains unconscious and unable to communicate.

The scene of the accident that killed the female student on 4/9/2024. Photo: Provided by residents

According to the case file, on the morning of 4/9/2024, Trung was driving a truck from Vam Vong commune to Vinh Xuan commune, Tra On district. Upon seeing a pickup truck stopped on the right shoulder, Trung signaled and moved into the left lane to overtake.

At the same time, three female students were riding electric bicycles in the opposite direction. One student in front stopped upon seeing Trung's truck due to the narrow road. The 14-year-old student behind her could not stop in time, collided with her friend's bicycle, and fell onto the road. She was then run over by Trung's truck and died at the hospital.

Initially, Tra On District Police decided not to prosecute the case, citing "no criminal offense." The victim's family filed a complaint, but both the Tra On District People's Procuracy and the Vinh Long Provincial People's Procuracy rejected their appeals.

On the morning of 28/4, Nguyen Vinh Phuc, 42, the father of the deceased student, entered Trung's home with a handgun, shot him, and then committed suicide. A few days later, after reviewing the case file, the Supreme People's Procuracy determined that the decisions to reject the appeals by the Tra On District People's Procuracy and Vinh Long Provincial People's Procuracy lacked legal basis. The case file revealed that Trung had swerved and overtaken unsafely when there was an obstruction ahead and oncoming traffic. This action violated the Road Traffic Law and showed signs of the crime of violating road traffic regulations.

On 7/5, Vinh Long Provincial Police initiated the case, determining that Trung's act of moving into the left lane to overtake was the main cause of the accident.

After nearly a month of treatment, Trung was discharged from the hospital with severe lasting effects, including complete paralysis of one side of his body and almost total loss of consciousness. On 5/8, he was indicted by Vinh Long Provincial Police and released on bail while being investigated for violating road traffic regulations, under Article 260 of the Penal Code.

An Binh