The family of a woman who was fatally hit by a BMW car driver in Ho Chi Minh City last October has asked the court to exempt the driver from a jail term, so that she could continue earning money to complete the rest of her compensation.

The trial of Nguyen Thi Nga, a 47-year-old resident in District 12, is scheduled to begin at the People’s Court in Binh Thanh District on Monday.

Nga is charged for violating traffic regulations after she crashed her BMW car into a group of motorcyclists stopping at a red light at the Hang Xanh intersection in the district on October 21, 2018.

Nguyen Thi Kim Phung, 38, was killed and five other people were injured in the crash.

A test later showed that Nga’s breath alcohol content was 0.94 milligrams per liter, while the Vietnamese law states that car drivers must have a zero breath alcohol concentration.

Police officers initiated legal proceedings against the driver on October 24. She now faces three to ten years in prison.

According to a source close to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, Phung’s family has submitted a document to the Binh Thanh People’s Court, asking for no prison time for Nga.

The defendant should be allowed to carry on with her business to be able to continue recompensing the victim's family, they said in the letter.

Nga’s lawyer also refuted rumor that she is wealthy.

Her 80-year-old husband is battling cancer, while their child suffers from autism, the lawyer claimed, adding that Nga had had to borrow money to partially settle the consequences.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!