Driver Who Killed Tan Songyun’s Mother Gets Six Years in Prison

The actress will be channeling all legal compensation to charity.

Court proceedings of a DUI accident which took the life of Chinese actress Tan Songyun’s (譚松韻) mother has been finalized, with the driver sentenced to six years of imprisonment and ordered to pay 1.35 million yuan in compensation to the plaintiffs involved.

Fatal Hit-and-Run Accident

On December 31, 2018, Tan Songyun’s mother and a few friends were walking by the roadside when a reckless vehicle swerved onto their path. Driving under the influence of alcohol, the driver named Ma Minghong (马明弘) had mounted the walkway at an intersection and struck the victims before escaping from the scene and hiding at a friend’s home. He turned himself in to the police two days later.

Tan Songyun’s mother passed away after 20 days at the hospital while her two companions sustained injuries. The tragedy was a huge blow for the then 28 year-old actress and continues to haunt her.

In the drama Go Ahead <以家人之名>, Tan Songyun’s character Li Jian Jian would tear up in familial scenes, with the onscreen scenarios seemingly evoking actress’s real-life painful memories. Taking the stand in court on August 31 this year, the actress revealed she has yet to receive any apology from the perpetrator up until that time.

The defendant brought up his own financial difficulties and revealed that he had sold his apartment to raise the total compensation sum of 1.35 million Chinese yuan for the three respective plaintiffs.

Tan Songyun shared that she would be handing the entire compensation sum to charity. Understandably, her primary concern was never the money, but seeking redress for her late mother. 

Source: Ettoday

This article is written by JoyceK for JayneStars.com.