Photo: Screenshot from Sina Weibo

A female driver who committed drunk driving in a hit-and-run accident which led to another female victim being dragged along for 1 kilometer before the driver was stopped by the police from Loudi in Central China's Hunan Province has been placed under criminal detention. The victim in treatment is in stable condition, according to the local traffic police's statement released on Sunday. 

The driver surnamed Xiao, 28, hit the 36-year-old victim surnamed Xie, who was riding an electric bicycle in front of Xiao's sedan vehicle on Friday midnight. Xie's clothes became stuck to the left front corner of the vehicle. 

However, Xiao did not stop her car but drove away and fled the scene, leading Xie being dragged for a distance estimated to be 1 kilometer before Xiao was stopped by the traffic police. Xiao was immediately arrested by the police and Xie was rushed to hospital. 

Video clips circulating on the internet show that Xiao was reluctant to comply with the police investigations after she was stopped, which has sparked a public uproar for her disregard for another human being's life. Finally, the traffic police dragged her out of the car to rescue the victim who was still hung to her vehicle.

A field sobriety test was conducted at the scene and Xiao was identified as drunk driving with a blood alcohol content of 124.51 milligrams per 100 milliliters. 

Xiao has been detained for the charge of suspected crime of causing traffic casualties while Xie is in stable condition after receiving medical treatment at hospital. Further investigations into the case are underway. 

Many internet users commented on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo that despite that Xie did not die and is currently in stable condition, Xiao should be charged for murder anyway. 

According to the Supreme People's Court's interpretation on the laws in the trial of criminal cases of traffic accidents, perpetrators who take the victim away from the scene of the accident and conceal or abandon the victim in attempt to evade legal prosecution, which leads to the victim not being able to gain help or leads death or serious disability for the victim, should be convicted of and punished for intentional murder or intentional injury, Ren Zhanmin, a lawyer from Beijing Guanling Law Firm, told Legal Daily. 

Besides, suspects of hit-and-run crash accidents can be given prison sentences of seven years or above if death is caused, according to China's Criminal Law, Ren said. 

Global Times