Police seek to arrest and charge speed death driver

By Wang Hongyi (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-05-16 10:00

Police have sought approval from prosecutors to formally arrest and charge a man whose speeding car led to the death of a pedestrian in Hangzhou.

The young male driver has been in police detention since the May 7 crash which took the life of 25-year-old Tan Zhuo in Zhejiang province.

Addressing the media on Friday, police apologized for statements made one day after the crash in which they said the driver was traveling at 70km/h - 20km/h above the speed limit.

However, a forensic report released on Friday showed the red Mitsubishi, which was racing two other cars, was actually traveling between 84 and 101 km/h when it hit Tan, sending him flying five meters into the air.

Zheng Xiansheng, deputy director of Hangzhou police bureau, said the initial speed estimate had been based on statements given by the driver and his friends.

"The actual speed of the car should have first been identified by professional appraising departments."

The statements infuriated thousands of netizens, who posted vehement remarks online about the driver and the investigation.

Many viewed the willingness of police to use the 70km/h speed provided by the driver as a sign of general police incompetence.

"One thing annoying us is the police's hasty conclusion and half-hearted attitude after the accident. I think the term 70km/h has become nothing less than a phenomenon online," said Xiao Ye, a Zhejiang University's student. "To post comments online might be the only way in which netizens are able to show that we care, or just simply vent our anger and grief."

A friend of Tan Zhou told China Daily that the victim's family did not agree with the official speed estimate and had refused to sign the report.

The driver is reportedly a 20-year-old man surnamed Hu who is a sports major at Hangzhou Normal University.