Drug Fugitive Flees from Police, Receives Prison Sentence

In July 2023, a man named Shin (52) who was wanted for drug-related crimes escaped just before his arrest in Pyeongtaek, causing a police officer to hang onto his car.

As the police entered through the back door of the vehicle, Shin urged the driver, A, to start moving. Consequently, A pressed the accelerator, resulting in a dangerous situation where the police officer's right arm got caught in the car door and was dragged for about 20 meters.

Dangerous Situation

The police officer managed to extricate his arm but sustained injuries, including a sprain and contusions, that required three weeks of treatment. Shin and his accomplices fled the scene, leaving the fallen officer behind.

When brought to court, Shin claimed he thought the police officers were gangsters and insisted that B, who conspired with him in drug trafficking, had sent gang members with the intent to harm him.

False Claims Revealed by Accomplice Testimony

However, Shin's assertions crumbled under the testimony of his accomplice, A. During the investigation, A testified that he momentarily followed Shin's order to start the car out of panic, resulting in a person being dragged along. Notably, A stated, "Shin said, 'That’s a detective,'" indicating that Shin was aware of the police officer’s identity.

Shin was indicted on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act and obstructing a police officer's duties causing injury, and on the 16th of last month, he was sentenced to prison at the Seoul Northern District Court. Investigations revealed that Shin was a habitual drug dealer with two previous convictions related to drugs, each resulting in a two-year prison sentence.

Habitual Drug Dealer

According to the legal community on the 8th, the 11th Criminal Division of the Seoul Northern District Court (Chief Judge Lee Dong-sik) stated, "The defendant has a history of multiple drug and violent crimes and, despite being on probation for drug offenses, did not exercise self-restraint and engaged in theft and drug trafficking." He was sentenced to three years and six months in prison.

The court noted, "The victim, a police officer at the time of the incident, was lawfully carrying out his duties to apprehend a wanted fugitive, and the defendant was aware that the victim's arm was caught in the car door and could be harmed if the vehicle moved, yet he disregarded this fact."

The court further explained that "such acts undermine the enforcement of public authority and threaten the safety of public servants, warranting severe punishment."

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