"Tell your girlfriend to remove the black box"... Son Seung-won sentenced for fifth alleged drunk driving offense today (11th)

*This content was translated by AI.

Actor Son Seung-won, who was previously sentenced to a prison term as the first celebrity punished under the "Yoon Chang-ho Law," will face sentencing today for his fifth alleged drunk driving offense.

On the 11th, the Seoul Western District Court's Criminal Division 5 (Judge Kim Hyeong-seok (Director)) will hold a sentencing hearing for Son Seung-won on charges including violation of the Road Traffic Act (causing injury while fleeing under the Act on Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes).

Son Seung-won was caught in the act last November for driving the Gangbyeon Expressway in the wrong direction for about two minutes while heavily intoxicated and was transferred to court in February this year. It is reported that his blood alcohol concentration was 0.165%, more than double the license revocation threshold of 0.08%.

Immediately after the incident, he lied to police, claiming that a substitute driver who had a dispute with him abandoned the car and left. He also instructed his girlfriend to "remove the black box storage device" because his car was at the Yongsan Police Station, attempting to destroy evidence.

At the closing arguments hearing held last month, the Prosecution Service requested a four-year prison sentence. Additionally, it was revealed that he was caught driving with a revoked license on the 8th of last month, sparking public outrage.

Son Seung-won submitted multiple letters of remorse and opinion statements to law enforcement authorities, stating that he had visited a hospital to address his alcohol problem and would definitely quit drinking. However, it is reported that he drove the white BMW he used during his previous drunk driving arrest last year to a bar in Hannam-dong, Seoul, and held a drinking session.

This marks the fifth time Son Seung-won was caught drunk driving. Previously, in 2018, he was prosecuted for drunk driving in Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, where he hit a car ahead and fled. He was sentenced to one year and six months in prison. At that time, his license had already been revoked due to three prior drunk driving offenses.

The court at that time applied the so-called "Yoon Chang-ho Law" (amended Act on Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes and Road Traffic Act), which increased penalties for drivers causing personal injury through drunk driving. Son Seung-won was caught drunk driving the month after the National Assembly passed the Yoon Chang-ho Law, becoming the first celebrity to be punished under this law, an infamous distinction.

Meanwhile, Son Seung-won debuted in 2009 with the musical "Spring Awakening" and has appeared in dramas such as "My Strange Hero 2" and "Hello, My Twenties."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.