Car Reverses With a 'Thud' After Parking Dispute... Supreme Court Says "Difficult to Conclude It Was Special Injury"

[Financial News] The Supreme Court has ruled that even when a person is injured by a car, whether the offense of causing injury with a dangerous object is established must be determined comprehensively by considering the driver's intent, the circumstances of the accident, and the extent of the injuries.
According to legal circles on the 24th, the First Petty Bench of the Supreme Court of Korea, with Justice Cheon Dae-yeob presiding, recently overturned the lower court ruling that sentenced Lee to six months in prison, suspended for one year, and remanded the case to the Uijeongbu District Court.
Lee was indicted for injuring the victim with his vehicle after arguing over a parking spot at a parking lot in Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi Province, in August 2023.
At the time, Lee strongly insisted that he would not give up the parking space, saying he had arrived first. He then reversed his car and struck the victim, who was standing behind it, in the legs and lower back. The victim suffered injuries requiring about two weeks of treatment.
The first trial deemed Lee's vehicle a dangerous object, found him guilty of the offense of causing injury with a dangerous object, and sentenced him to six months in prison, suspended for one year.
The first-trial panel ruled, "It is sufficiently established that, knowing the victim was standing behind his vehicle, Lee either had a definite intention to reverse anyway and injure the victim or acted with conditional intent."
The panel cited the fact that the vehicle's rear parking sensors and rearview camera were functioning normally and that a warning sound went off while Lee was reversing, yet he did not stop until the victim was pushed by the vehicle. The second trial also found no problem with the first trial's ruling and dismissed Lee's appeal.
However, the Supreme Court of Korea ruled that it was difficult to conclude that Lee intended to cause injury or used the vehicle as a dangerous object.
The Supreme Court of Korea stated, "Lee's family members were in the vehicle at the time, and although the victim was struck by the vehicle, the victim did not fall or get thrown but was pushed by the vehicle for about six or seven steps. The dashcam footage shows that the vehicle was moving very slowly, while the victim's injuries were also relatively minor, requiring about two weeks of treatment."
It added, "Considering the circumstances of the incident, Lee's intent, and the extent of the injuries, it is difficult to conclude that the conduct constituted the offense of causing injury with a dangerous object."
[email protected] Jang Yu-ha Reporter