Trial Halted After Drunk Hit-and-Run at 120 km/h Leaves Family in Tears

Ignored a red light

It became an unusual situation.

The first trial scheduled for April 24 was canceled. The defendant, Sora Sakamoto (20), is charged with violating the Act on Punishment of Acts Related to Driving a Motor Vehicle (negligent driving causing death), among other offenses. Shortly after midnight on December 22 last year, he is alleged to have struck and killed a 25-year-old man, A, on a national highway in Sayama City, Saitama Prefecture, and then fled the scene.

“Mr. A was trying to cross at a pedestrian crossing when he was hit by Sakamoto’s car, which ran a red light. Although the legal speed limit was 60 km/h, the car reportedly entered the intersection at a tremendous speed of 120 km/h. Sakamoto fled the scene without taking appropriate rescue measures. About two hours after the accident, police found the vehicle about 4 km away from the scene. Since alcohol exceeding the legal limit was detected from Sakamoto, who was in the car, he was arrested on the spot on suspicion of drunk driving,” said a judicial reporter from a national newspaper.

Mr. A was confirmed dead at the hospital to which he was transported. His father, who was informed of his death by phone, reportedly broke down in tears on the spot.

“The bereaved family objected in January to the Saitama District Public Prosecutors Office charging Sakamoto with negligent driving causing death. They argued that instead of negligent driving causing death, which carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison, the charge should be dangerous driving causing death, which carries up to 20 years.

The family gathered 47,000 signatures calling for a reinvestigation and submitted them in March to the Kawagoe branch of the Saitama District Public Prosecutors Office. The cancellation of the first trial is believed to be because prosecutors will begin a reinvestigation aimed at charging him with dangerous driving causing death. It is a case where the family’s persistence has paid off,” the same source said.

“FRIDAY Digital” reported on the drunk hit-and-run incident involving Sakamoto immediately after he was sent to prosecutors. We would like to once again present an overview—

“I don’t remember”

The tall man who came out of the police station accompanied by investigators had pulled the collar of his sweatshirt up to just below his eyes to keep the press from seeing his face. It was defendant Sakamoto, who was sent to prosecutors in January.

“Police arrested Sakamoto on the spot on suspicion of driving under the influence. They also examined vehicle traces left at the scene where Mr. A died and identified Sakamoto’s involvement in the hit-and-run. During questioning, Sakamoto admitted, ‘It’s true that I caused an accident where I hit a person and fled the scene,’ but partially denied the allegations, saying, ‘I don’t remember the traffic signal,’” said a reporter from a national newspaper’s city desk.

Let us return to the earlier scene of his transfer. The accompanying investigator instructed Sakamoto to walk straight. Even after getting into the transport vehicle, Sakamoto pulled the sweatshirt completely over his head to hide his face.

Taihei Ogawa, a former Kanagawa Prefectural Police detective and crime journalist, explains:

“From the bereaved family’s perspective, it is only natural to want the defendant to make an appropriate atonement. Gathering as many as 47,000 signatures in a short period of time is no small feat. Prosecutors, who can be seen as representatives of the victim, should file charges in a way that reflects the family’s feelings.

Objectively speaking, driving at 120 km/h—far exceeding the legal speed limit—already constitutes dangerous driving. On top of that, he ran a red light and committed a hit-and-run. Considering he had also been drinking, it can be said to be a crime close to murder. It is natural for the family to think that applying the lighter charge of negligent driving causing death is wrong, and one cannot help but admire their subsequent actions.”

After the cancellation of Sakamoto’s first trial, the bereaved family held a press conference and stated, “We would like to take the prosecutors’ decision in a positive light.”