Ex-cop acquitted in fatal shooting of passenger in fleeing car

Taoyuan, Nov. 5 (CNA) A former Taoyuan police officer who accidentally shot and killed a passenger in a vehicle that was fleeing police has been found not guilty of negligent homicide, according to the Taoyuan District Court.

In a ruling made public Tuesday, the court said the defendant, surnamed Tseng (曾), was deputy head of the Taoyuan Police Department's Bade Precinct when the incident occurred on the night of March 27, 2020.

After noticing a suspicious car in an alley, Tseng used a loudspeaker to order it to pull over. The car's driver, surnamed Wu (吳), who was drunk at the time, sped off, sparking a chase in which he reversed two times to ram Tseng's patrol car.

After reversing a third time, Wu turned his vehicle to the right to flee again. Tseng, who had exited his car, fired five shots at the moving vehicle's back tire, two of which hit a female passenger in the car's back seat.

The passenger, surnamed Yang (楊), was struck in the leg and back by the bullets, and later died despite receiving emergency medical treatment.

In its ruling Tuesday, the Taoyuan court said Wu's reckless driving during the episode had posed a "significant danger" to other drivers and pedestrians.

Based on surveillance video footage of the shooting, it was also clear that Tseng was aiming downward toward the vehicle's tires when he fired the shots, in order to bring it to a stop, the court said.

Given the severity and potential danger of the situation, as well as the fact that Tseng followed police protocols on the use of firearms, the court said there was insufficient evidence that he committed a crime and found him not guilty.

The verdict can be appealed.

Wu, meanwhile, was previously found guilty of driving under the influence and obstructing a public official and was sentenced to a combined eight months in prison, commutable to a fine.

Although Tseng was cleared of criminal charges, a court in February ordered the Taoyuan City government and Bade Police Precinct to pay a combined NT$7.48 million (US$234,145) in state compensation to Yang's parents and two children over her death.