This July 24, 2020, file photo shows a taxi driver who was accused of causing the death of a patient in an ambulance his car collided with walking into the Seoul Eastern District Court in Seoul to attend a hearing on the case. (Yonhap)
An appellate court on Friday reduced the prison sentence of a taxi driver convicted for having repeatedly extorted settlements related to traffic accidents that had been staged on purpose.
The Seoul Eastern District Court's appellate division reduced the prison sentence given to the 32-year-old taxi driver, surnamed Choi, on charges of fraud, obstruction of business and others, from24 months to 20.
The court said it considered the defendant's regretful attitude and that he has reached settlements with victims in fraud cases, including the ambulance driver.
The man was accused of intentionally causing traffic accidents and extorting about 21.5 million won ($18,970) from the other drivers in settlement fees and medical costs while working in the transportation business for five years from 2015.
Choi made headlines in July of last year for intentionally causing a car accident with an ambulance that had been transferring a stage 4 lung cancer patient on June 8. The patient was reportedly taken to a hospital shortly after the accident but died later that day.
While Choi's prison sentence for his scams was shortened, he is still under a separate probe as the family of the deceased patient filed a separate criminal complaint against him with the police on charges of murder and manslaughter by assault.
Whether Choi's action was directly linked to the patient's death was not reviewed by the court, as charges of murder or manslaughter by assault were not presented by the prosecution.
"We are disappointed that Choi's prison sentence got cut down and wish he would receive the proper punishment for the additional complaints filed against him," the family's attorney said after the ruling.
The family has also filed a separate compensation suit against Choi for the mental anguish they have endured from the patient's death. (Yonhap)