The Maebashi District Court in Gunma Prefecture has sentenced a 71-year-old man to 20 years in prison for driving a truck while drunk and crashing it into a car, killing three people, in Isesaki City, Gunma Prefecture, in May 2024.
According to the ruling, Goro Suzuki swerved into oncoming traffic and hit a car, killing Hiroto Tsukagoshi, 26, his son Minato, 2, and his father Masahiro, 53, TV Asahi reported. The truck had accelerated to 90 kilometers per hour, exceeding the legal speed limit, before hitting the car.
In their closing argument, the prosecution argued that Suzuki drank alcohol after a company breathalyzer test, describing it as "the most dangerous form of drunk driving imaginable." They sought the maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in prison for dangerous driving resulting in death, arguing that "he caused a tragedy that should never have happened"
Suzuki denied being drunk, and his defense argued that the charge should only have been negligent driving resulting in death or injury.
According to Suzuki's employer, although several empty bottles of the distilled spirit shochu were subsequently found inside his vehicle, the Maebashi District Public Prosecutors Office initially charged him with professional negligence resulting in death.
The family members of the those who died, who were not satisfied with the indictment, continued their demands, and the prosecutor's office later found that alcohol was a factor during a supplemental investigation, changing Suzuki's indictment in October 2024 to dangerous driving resulting in manslaughter, Kyodo News reported.
Suzuki, who suffered severe injuries in the accident, was suspected of having consumed alcohol during the 40 minutes between when he arrived at work and when he started driving on the day of the accident.
A woman who lost her three family members said, "I would like to see the law made simpler, with a clear statement that 'dangerous driving starts here.'" She is calling for "laws that are easy for the general public to understand."
In November 2024, family members of the three who died submitted 83,000 signatures from supportive citizens to the local prosecutors office demanding that Suzuki be severely punished.
As a result, the Maebashi District Court approved the change in violation to the heavier statutory penalty during the signature drive campaign, which was held in Maebashi and online.
© Japan Today/Kyodo
6 Comments
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sakurasuki
By the time incident happen, he already 69-year-old, why just can't employ younger driver?
TrafficCone
Would that guarantee sober driving?
sakurasuki
@TrafficCone
Could you read again?
falseflagsteve
A moron who will most probably de in prison.
BigP
Good!
Meiyouwenti
“As a result, the Maebashi District Court approved the change in violation to the heavier statutory penalty during the signature drive campaign, which was held in Maebashi and online.”
Did the court allow the prosecution to change the original charge of professional negligence to that of more serious dangerous driving just because the victim’s family collected 6000 signatures from supporters? Court sentences should not be influenced by public opinion. I sympathize with the bereaved family but in court only the existing law at the time of conduct should apply.