Drunk driving killer gets life in jail

By Jane Chen  |   2009-8-27  |     ONLINE EDITION

A DRUNK driver in northern China's Hebei Province has been sentenced to life in jail after running over two traffic police officers, killing one and injuring the other.

Baoding City People's Intermediate Court convicted Zhang Haipeng of endangering public security with hazardous means, the Hebei Youth Daily reported.

The court said Zhang was driving towards a police checkpoint around 11pm on July 31 last year after drinking at three local restaurants.

To avoid a police check, Zhang ran down policemen Li Jinyong and Chen Xinli who were signaling him to stop.

Zhang was forced to stop by barriers police had set up 30 meters down the road.

Chen was killed after being thrown about 40 meters and Li suffered injuries to his stomach.
Later police determined Zhang had a blood-alcohol of 2.8 milligram per milliliter, more than three times the 0.8mg/ml level considered drunk driving.