The pickup truck dragging incident in Hanoi in April 2018 shocked the public due to its severity and the driver’s irresponsible behavior. The accident not only caused severe health damage to the victim but also sounded an alarm about traffic awareness and the consequences of drunk driving.
On the evening of April 11, 2018, Vu Hoang Duong, a driver for a private company in Cau Giay district, drove a Mazda pickup truck while intoxicated. According to the indictment, Duong, after having dinner and drinks with friends in the Van Chuong alley area, drove onto Kham Thien street and caused a traffic collision. The initial collision with a motorcycle driven by Mr. Do Manh Dat seemed like a minor accident but became the beginning of a series of dangerous and inhumane actions by the pickup truck driver.
Scene of the accident on April 11, 2018, in Hanoi
After the collision, which broke Mr. Dat’s motorcycle brake, instead of stopping to resolve the issue as required, Duong accelerated and fled the scene. Moreover, this pickup truck driver repeatedly squeezed and prevented Mr. Dat from chasing him. This action demonstrated a disregard for the law and the lives of others, turning the incident from a normal traffic collision into a deliberate act of endangering others.
When reaching the O Cho Dua intersection and stopping at a red light, Duong noticed Mr. Dat catching up and overtaking him. At this point, instead of admitting his mistake and stopping the car, Vu Hoang Duong steered the pickup truck to the left, crashing directly into Mr. Dat’s motorcycle, causing the victim to fall onto the road. In the next terrifying moment, as Mr. Dat tried to get up, Duong accelerated, driving the pickup truck directly into Mr. Dat and his motorcycle, dragging both under the car and continuing towards Hoang Cau street.
The consequences of this action were tragic. Mr. Do Manh Dat was dragged under the pickup truck for 300m on O Cho Dua street. The incident occurred right in the center of Hanoi, on a busy street, shocking and angering many witnesses at the pickup truck driver’s ruthless behavior.
Driver Vu Hoang Duong being restrained after causing the horrific accident
After dragging the victim for a long distance and seeing Mr. Dat thrown off, Duong still did not stop. The pickup truck driver continued to drive, dragging the victim’s motorcycle, moving towards Hoang Cau street. The motorcycle was only released from the pickup truck after being dragged for an additional 200m, in the Mai Anh Tuan – Hoang Cau intersection area, and was severely damaged.
The escape journey of the pickup truck that caused the horrific accident was not yet over. Duong continued to drive through Thai Ha, Lang Ha, and Le Van Luong streets, despite being pursued and asked to stop and resolve the issue by many witnesses. Only when a tire blew did the driver lose control and drive the car into a flower garden in the Trung Hoa urban area. Here, Duong was caught up by the people, who smashed the car’s windows, pulled him out, and assaulted him because they were so outraged by his inhuman behavior.
As for the victim, Do Manh Dat, he was taken to the hospital by people in critical condition, suffering from multiple injuries, including a broken jawbone and many other serious injuries. The assessment results showed that Mr. Dat suffered 79% health damage. His motorcycle was also severely damaged, with repair costs amounting to more than 8 million VND.
Regarding the people’s actions of smashing the car and assaulting Duong after causing the accident, the defendant’s wife filed a complaint with the Thanh Xuan District Police. However, this action was not considered in the criminal case against Vu Hoang Duong.
Based on the investigation documents and the trial process, the Hanoi People’s Court sentenced Vu Hoang Duong to 17 years in prison for “Murder” and 6 months in prison for “Destruction of Property”. The total penalty that Duong must serve is 17 years and 6 months in prison. This strict sentence reflects the particularly serious nature of the pickup truck dragging incident in Hanoi and demonstrates the strictness of the law against actions that disregard the lives and health of others.
The Hanoi pickup truck dragging incident is a costly lesson about traffic awareness, post-accident behavior, and the unpredictable consequences of driving under the influence.
