Society

Senior officer's son arrested after fatal accident outcry

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-10-25 22:01

SHIJIAZHUANG - The son of a senior north China police officer who sparked outrage after he allegedly hit two women students in a fatal hit and run has been arrested, police announced Monday.

It is alleged that Li Qiming, 22, was intoxicated at the time of the accident and shouted "Sue me if you dare" when a crowd stopped his car as he attempted to flee the scene.

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Prosecutors in Baoding City, north China's Hebei Province, approved the arrest of Li on Sunday, according to a statement on the Baoding Police Bureau website.

Li's car allegedly hit two students who were roller-skating on the campus of Hebei University on the evening of October 16.

One student later died and the other is still being treated in hospital.

According to witnesses, Li drove past the victims after the accident and speeded toward the campus gate.

When blocked by crowds, Li was heard shouting "Sue me if you dare" and "My father is Li Gang," naming the deputy director of the Baoding public security bureau in Beishi district, where Hebei University is located.

Blood tests by police at the site confirmed Li was intoxicated while driving.

The incident triggered public outrage on the Internet.

An online poetry contest, in which writers create new poems by mixing classical Chinese poems with the sentence "My father is Li Gang," has become the hottest topic on Chinese websites such as Tianya.com, and Sina.com.

Li Gang wept in an apology during an interview with China Central Television on October 21. Li Qiming also apologized in a video released on October 22.

The apologies seemed to have little effect in soothing public anger as netizens expressed doubts over their sincerity.

Many postings on 163.com, a popular Chinese website, said Li Gang was apologizing to "keep his government job."