Nearly a year after a fatal road accident that claimed the life of a 14-year-old schoolgirl, authorities in Vinh Long province have officially prosecuted the truck driver involved — even though the man is currently incapacitated after being shot by the victim’s father earlier this year.
On August 5, 33-year-old Nguyen Van Bao Trung was charged with “Violating regulations on road traffic participation” under Article 260 of Vietnam’s Penal Code. Trung is currently out on bail, but has not been able to work with investigators due to severe injuries sustained in a retaliatory shooting.
According to police, Trung has remained unconscious and unable to speak since April, when he was shot at close range by Nguyen Vinh Phuc — the grieving father of the schoolgirl killed in the September 2024 accident. Due to Trung’s condition, all legal documents were delivered to his residence, with his wife signing on his behalf.
The Fatal Accident
The fatal incident occurred on the morning of September 4, 2024, when Trung was driving a truck from Vam Vong commune to Vinh Xuan commune, Tra On District.
While attempting to overtake a parked pickup truck on a narrow road, Trung’s vehicle veered into the opposite lane. At that moment, three female students were approaching on electric bicycles. One girl managed to stop in time. The 14-year-old riding behind her, however, collided with her friend’s bike and fell into the path of Trung’s truck. She was run over and later died in hospital.
Initial Legal Controversy and Public Outcry
Initially, Tra On District Police declined to press charges, claiming that “no criminal offense had occurred.” The girl’s family filed multiple complaints, but both the district and provincial prosecutors’ offices rejected them.
In a shocking escalation, on April 28, 2025, Phuc — the victim’s father — broke into Trung’s house and shot him before turning the gun on himself. The attempted murder-suicide stunned the local community and reignited public outrage.
Shortly after, the Supreme People’s Procuracy reviewed the case and determined that the local decisions not to prosecute had lacked sufficient legal basis. Investigators found that Trung’s attempt to pass another vehicle on a narrow road — despite clear oncoming traffic — was both unlawful and the primary cause of the fatal crash.
The case was officially reopened, and Trung was named as the key suspect.
Aftermath and Ongoing Investigation
Trung survived the shooting but remains in a critical condition, suffering complete paralysis on one side of his body and significant loss of brain function.
The victim’s family has since filed a formal complaint to the Supreme People’s Procuracy, urging an investigation into possible judicial misconduct by local authorities. They allege that failures by prosecutors and police in the original investigation may have violated legal procedures and demand accountability from those responsible.
Source: Vietnam Insider