Lee Jae-ryong Admits Hit-and-Run at First Trial, Denies Drinking After the Crash to Obscure His BAC... "No Intent to Obstruct the Test"

[Financial News] Actor Lee Jae-ryong, 62, who is accused of fleeing after hitting a median barrier in downtown Seoul, denied the allegation that he drank after the crash to obscure his blood alcohol level at his first hearing.
Judge Lee Jae-wook of the Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 10 held the first hearing on the 13th for Lee, who was indicted on charges including violating the Road Traffic Act by failing to take action after an accident.
Lee appeared in court wearing a black suit that day but did not answer reporters' questions, including, "Do you admit the charges?"
Lee's side admitted the charge of failing to take action after the accident but denied the allegation that he drank more alcohol to obstruct alcohol testing.
The Prosecution Service called as a witness the police officer who responded to the scene, while Lee's side called someone who had been drinking with him.
Judge Lee set the next hearing for 4 p.m. on March 24 next year, when both sides will question witnesses.
Lee is accused of driving under the influence near Cheongdam Station on Seoul Subway Line 7 at around 11:05 p.m. on March 6, repeatedly hitting a median barrier and fleeing.
He was arrested by police at an acquaintance's home at around 2 a.m. the next day. His blood alcohol concentration at the time of testing was reportedly in the license-suspension range (0.03%–0.08%).
Investigators found that he had attended another drinking gathering before going to an acquaintance's home after the accident. He was also suspected of the so-called practice of drinking more alcohol after a crash to make his blood alcohol level at the time of the accident impossible to determine.
Lee initially claimed that he had been drinking at an acquaintance's home, but during questioning he also changed his account, saying, "I drank four shots of soju and drove."
However, citing the limits of the evidence, the Prosecution Service (then the prosecution) excluded the DUI charge on August 5 and indicted Lee without detention on charges of obstructing alcohol testing and failing to take action after an accident.
The estimate of Lee's blood alcohol concentration while driving using the Widmark Formula reportedly did not clearly establish whether it was at least 0.03%, the threshold for license suspension.
The Widmark Formula is a method for estimating blood alcohol concentration by taking into account the drinker's body, the time elapsed, and the amount of alcohol consumed.
Lee previously had his driver's license revoked after causing a drunk-driving accident in Gangnam-gu in 2003.
In 2019, he also received a deferred prosecution disposition on a property-damage charge after damaging a freestanding sign at a bowling alley in Gangnam while intoxicated.
[email protected] Ahn Ga-eul Reporter