Vietnam police break silence on car crash that killed teen
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Hanoi police have revealed for the first time that a former Vietnamese politician was involved in a fatal car crash that killed a teenager last year. Former deputy chairman of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee, Nguyen Sy Cuong, struck a motorbike while driving in the wrong lane, according to the police report. Despite testing negative for alcohol and admitting responsibility, Cuong was not criminally prosecuted due to mitigating factors, the deputy chief of Hanoi police, Colonel Nguyen Duc Long, stated on state television.
The accident occurred in May 2025 in Hanoi's capital city. People began leaving flowers at the site days after the incident, which dissident and youth groups viewed as a form of protest. Video evidence shows authorities preventing passers-by from leaving flowers, sparking criticism online. The police report confirmed that Cuong, who is also the husband of a current government minister, violated traffic regulations but was exempted from criminal liability.
The victim's family withdrew their complaint, and the police investigation, supported by prosecutors, found Cuong guilty of traffic law violations. The case had been circulating on social media for months, leading to the recent escalation in flower offerings at the accident site.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
