Crime Two Hanoi Truck Drivers Sentenced for Fatal Crash Killing Mother and Three Children

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Picture courtesy of VN Express

 

In a tragic court case in Hanoi, two truck drivers have been sentenced to prison for causing an accident that claimed the lives of a mother and her three children. The Hanoi People's Court handed down a 12-year sentence to Dam Van Luong, 39, and a 5-year sentence to Le Van Nga, 59. Another individual, Le Van Tiep, 45, received a three-year jail term for operating a vehicle that did not meet safety standards.

 

The incident occurred in July last year when Tiep, owner of Anh Dung Transport Construction and Trading Co., Ltd., leased six dump trucks for transporting construction materials. Among these was a truck with an expired inspection certificate, illegally modified for greater capacity. Despite knowing its condition, Tiep authorized its use.

 

Luong, an employee of Anh Dung Company, was tasked with driving this truck, which carried over 34 tons of stone—nearly triple its legal capacity. As Luong barreled through an intersection in Hoai Duc District's Duong Lieu Commune without slowing down, he merely honked his horn to signal his approach.

 

At the same intersection, Nga was driving another truck and failed to reduce speed. A 32-year-old woman named Hai, with her three children on a motorbike, tried to move out of Luong’s way upon hearing the horn. Nga, seeing Luong's truck, attempted to accelerate to avoid an impending collision.

 

Both drivers' frantic maneuvers failed, resulting in a crash that sent their trucks careening towards the woman and her children. The impact crushed them against a bridge barrier, resulting in their instant deaths, while Nga sustained injuries.

 

After fleeing the scene, Luong was apprehended the following day. The court identified the drivers' disregard for traffic laws as the primary cause of the accident. Luong, found to be under the influence of drugs during the crash, was deemed the main culprit.

 

In court, the defendants expressed remorse, apologized to the victims' families, and pleaded for leniency. While civil compensation was settled privately with no further legal action pursued, the victims' families requested a commutation of sentences.

 

Beyond their prison terms, Tiep has been banned from the transport business for five years, and both drivers are prohibited from driving for five years, reflecting the court's stance on the severity of their negligence and its tragic consequences.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from VN Express 2025-05-23