Actor Lee Jae-ryong Transferred to Prosecution on Charges of Hit-and-Run and Driving Under the Influence... Past History Under Scrutiny.

Actor Lee Jae-ryong (62), who is suspected of causing a driving under the influence accident and fleeing the scene, has been handed over to the prosecution. In particular, this case is noteworthy due to the application of the so-called 'drinking and driving tactics' charge, as it involves intentional additional drinking after the accident to interfere with the sobriety tests, raising attention to the outcome of the upcoming trial.

Fleeing After the Accident and the Subsequent Attempted 'Drinking and Driving'

On the 18th, the Gangnam Police Station announced that they had transferred Lee to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office without detention on charges of driving under the influence, leaving the scene of an accident, and interfering with sobriety tests. Lee is suspected of having collided with a central divider while driving his vehicle near Cheongdam Station on Subway Line 7 around 11 PM on the 6th and fleeing the scene.

According to police investigations, Lee reportedly attended another drinking gathering immediately after the accident, and he was arrested at a friend's house approximately three hours later. Police believe that Lee intentionally engaged in additional drinking to make it difficult to measure his blood alcohol concentration accurately at the time of the accident, thus applying the charge of 'interfering with sobriety tests.'

'I thought I only lightly touched the central divider'... Retracted Statements and Police Evaluation

Immediately after his arrest, Lee denied the drunk driving allegations. However, in a subsequent investigation the next day, he retracted his statement, saying, 'I had four shots of soju and thought I only lightly touched the central divider.' Nevertheless, the police secured evidence through questioning others present that demonstrated Lee was under the influence at the time of the accident, and concluded that his subsequent drinking activities were an intentional attempt to destroy evidence to avoid legal consequences.

Persistent Drinking Issues... Growing Public Outrage Over Past History

This is not the first time Lee has faced controversy related to drinking. He has a history of a driving under the influence accident in 2003 in Gangnam District, where he refused to undergo testing, resulting in his license being revoked. Additionally, in 2019, he received a suspended indictment for damaging a bowling alley sign while intoxicated in Gangnam District.

The public's gaze is cold towards his repeated drinking-related incidents. In particular, as recent police investigations confirmed allegations that he used the 'drinking and driving tactics' that have sparked public outrage, calls for strict punishment are increasing.

Outlook for Future Prosecutorial Investigations and Trials

The prosecution, which has taken over the case, plans to apply the Widmark formula to retroactively calculate Lee's blood alcohol level at the time of the accident while continuing legal evaluations regarding the act of interfering with sobriety tests. If repeated offenses and the intentional obstruction of investigations are recognized, it seems inevitable that he will face severe penalties, including a prison sentence.