Man jailed for throwing police officer onto car hood while fleeing DUI test

A 20-year-old Hanoi man, Nguyen Viet Cuong, has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for manslaughter after injuring a traffic police officer while trying to evade a breathalyzer test. During his trial on Monday, it was revealed that Cuong, a known drug addict with two prior convictions for disturbing public order, was on probation at the time of the offense. With this new conviction, his total prison term has been extended to 14 years and 8 months.

On April 1, 2024, Cuong consumed drugs with four friends before borrowing a friend's car to buy food. While returning, he encountered a traffic police team in Hanoi's Thanh Tri District. Asked to present his documents and take a breathalyzer test, Cuong, lacking a driving license and fearing drug detection, attempted to flee. He accelerated and struck a police captain, throwing him onto the car hood. Cuong then drove recklessly at speeds of 50-60 kph over 240 meters, weaving in an attempt to dislodge the officer. He eventually braked abruptly to avoid a bus, causing the officer to fall from the car and sustain minor injuries, resulting in a 1% permanent impairment.

Cuong was apprehended the same day. While his breathalyzer test showed no alcohol, he tested positive for ketamine, methamphetamine, and ecstasy. In July 2024, he was fined VND46 million (US$1,900) for driving without a license and using drugs illegally.

The car owner claimed Cuong did not disclose the incident when returning the vehicle. Investigators found insufficient evidence to charge the owner with failing to report a crime but fined him VND5 million for lending the car to an unlicensed driver. Meanwhile, the homeowner where Cuong and his friends consumed drugs has been prosecuted separately for organizing and illegally possessing drugs.