Driver Gets Death With Reprieve After Speeding Crash Kills Family of Three

A court in east China has sentenced a man to death with a two-year reprieve over a high-speed crash that killed a young family of three.

The Jingdezhen Intermediate People's Court in Jiangxi Province ruled on Friday that the defendant, surnamed Liao, committed the crime of endangering public safety by dangerous means, a serious offense that can carry the death penalty.

According to the court, the crash occurred at around 6:30pm on October 2, 2024, during the National Day holiday travel rush. Liao was driving an electric vehicle along Changjiang Avenue, a major urban thoroughfare, when he became emotionally agitated after arguing with a friend inside the car while stopped at a red light.

When the signal turned green, Liao suddenly accelerated and continued speeding despite repeated pleas from his friend to slow down, the court found.

Shortly after, Liao noticed a family of three – Hu (31), Wang (30), and their 11-month-old child – crossing the road. Although Liao hit the brakes and swerved, his excessive speed caused him to strike the family, resulting in their deaths.

After the crash, Liao called emergency services, reported the incident to police, and remained at the site until officers arrived.

In its ruling, the court said Liao was fully aware that driving at high speed on a busy city road during a holiday period posed a serious threat to public safety. His actions, the court said, directly caused the deaths of three people and met the legal threshold for endangering public safety rather than a lesser traffic offense.

The court described the circumstances as "egregious" and the consequences "particularly severe," warranting strict punishment.

The court cited mitigating factors, saying Liao attempted to brake and swerve and did not act with direct intent to kill. He later surrendered. The judges therefore handed down a death sentence with a two-year reprieve, a form of punishment under Chinese law in which the sentence is typically commuted to life imprisonment if the offender commits no intentional crimes during the reprieve period.

Family members told thepaper.cn that they plan to file an appeal, calling for the death penalty to be carried out immediately rather than suspended.