YouTube 'drunk driving hunter' and subscribers sentenced for causing fatal crash

GWANGJU — A YouTuber, who contributed to the death of a suspected DUI offender by chasing them down for a YouTube livestream, was sentenced to prison and taken into custody in court on Thursday.

The YouTuber, a so-called vigilante known for tracking suspected drunk drivers, had pursued a vehicle with the help of his subscribers on Sept. 22, 2024. The court deemed the conduct not as an effort to stop drunk driving for the sake of the public but as a form of private punishment that created a deadly situation.

The YouTuber, surnamed Choi, was sentenced to one year and six months in prison on charges of joint intimidation at the Gwangju Court. Choi was immediately taken into custody.

The court also sentenced seven other defendants, including YouTube subscribers who joined the car chase, to either six months in prison suspended for two years or to pay fines of 1 million to 2 million won ($689 to $1,370).

Choi and the others were indicted on charges of directly or indirectly contributing to a fatal traffic accident that killed the driver at around 3:50 a.m. on Sept. 22, 2024, on a road in Gwangsan District, Gwangju.

The YouTuber, during his livestream, approached a driver who stopped at a traffic light. After Choi asked the driver whether they were driving under the influence, the driver sped away for about two kilometers (1.2 miles) and died after crashing into a trailer parked on the shoulder of the road.

The SUV driven by the victim had been reported to police by Choi and others as a suspected drunk-driving vehicle, and the ensuing chase involving Choi and two vehicles driven or occupied by Choi’s subscribers was broadcast live on YouTube. 

Choi and the others reached the crash site and tried to provide emergency aid, but the driver had died on impact and the vehicle was completely destroyed by fire.

Prosecutors charged Choi on the grounds that he and his subscribers created a traffic danger by chasing a suspected drunk driver in multiple vehicles. Choi’s attorney argued after the indictment that there was no causal link between the fatal traffic accident and the YouTube broadcast and that the victim had not been jointly pursued.

Choi is also accused of stopping another driver on a road in Gwangju in late December 2023 with five or six subscribers using several vehicles. He was also indicted on charges of following another driver in the pursuit of catching a drunk driver and then preventing that driver from getting out of the car until police arrived.

“We took part in the broadcast for social justice and in the hope that no one would be hurt by drunk driving, and we never intended to cause the victim’s death or any harm," the defendants said, asking the court for leniency. 

The court, however, judged the YouTuber’s conduct to be private punishment rather than an action in the name of public interest and found all defendants guilty on all charges. The sentence also reflected the fact that they had not reached a settlement with the deceased driver’s family and that the bereaved family had asked for severe punishment.

“The defendant bears very heavy responsibility because he led the crime while broadcasting live on YouTube, exposing the identity of a driver suspected of drunk driving and engaging in a dangerous encirclement chase,” the judge said. 

“It is also acknowledged that they committed the crime despite being aware of the risks, having been under investigation for similar offenses or having received summary orders, and that they engaged in a conspiracy in light of the process of their participation."

Right after sentencing, Choi said he would seek a settlement with the victim’s family if allowed to stand trial without detention, but the judge executed the order to take him into custody.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

BY CHOI KYEONG-HO [[email protected]]