22 months’ jail for Hong Kong driver who fatally struck student at traffic junction

A Hong Kong man, Ernest Au Yeung Shiu-hong, has been sentenced to 22 months in prison for driving his Tesla dangerously and causing the death of 19-year-old student Lisa Pun at a traffic junction two years ago. The District Court also disqualified him from driving for five years and criticized his irresponsible attitude that led to Pun's death on November 7, 2024.

Au Yeung, an NGO event organizer, was driving at nearly 100km/h at an intersection on On Lok Road in Yuen Long, attempting to beat an amber light en route to work in Tsim Sha Tsui. Pun was struck by the vehicle while crossing the road when the pedestrian light was red and suffered severe injuries that proved fatal in hospital six hours later.

The defendant claimed to police that he did not anticipate anyone being on the road when he passed the junction. He admitted in court to having seven prior traffic violations since obtaining his license in 2015, including a careless driving conviction in November 2024, for which he was fined HK$1,200 (US$153). His defense lawyer, Danny Chan Kin-keung, noted that Au Yeung has been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder since the accident and expressed remorse.

Deputy Judge Bernard Chung Wai-keung sentenced Au Yeung to the 22-month term, acknowledging his guilty plea and mental health issues. The judge condemned his "extremely dangerous and irresponsible" behavior, stating that no punishment could undo the loss of Pun's life or alleviate her family's grief. The maximum sentence for dangerous driving causing death is 10 years in prison, but the District Court typically imposes a maximum of seven years.