Incheon court sentences man for slamming car trunk on driver

A man in his 40s has been sentenced to six months in prison for special injury after slamming a car trunk door on a designated driver's head during a dispute over fees in Incheon.

The incident occurred in December 2023 in Guwol-dong, Namdong-gu. Following an argument regarding driving service costs, the victim, a 57-year-old driver, leaned into the trunk to retrieve an electric scooter and helmet. The defendant, a 45-year-old man, slammed the trunk door shut, causing the victim to suffer scalp lacerations requiring three weeks of medical treatment.

While the defendant claimed the injury was accidental, the Incheon District Court ruled that CCTV footage proved intentionality. The court noted that the defendant was serving a recidivism period and had multiple prior convictions for violence, including two prison sentences. However, the judge cited a settlement of 8 million won paid to the victim and the victim's request for leniency as mitigating factors in the sentencing.