Man jailed for reckless driving

Man jailed for reckless driving

JAKARTA (JP): The North Jakarta District Court has sentenced Sumarno, known as Imin, the driver of a public transit vehicle, to two-and-a-half years imprisonment for hitting, and killing, a pedestrian.

Presiding Judge IGA Retisny said in the verdict on Thursday that the traffic accident took place on Jl. Raya Tugu, Cilincing, North Jakarta, on Sept. 3, last year.

At the time of the accident, the defendant was driving a mini van serving the Koja-Rorotan route at high speed and tried to overtake another mini van plying the same route, Judge Retisny told Antara.

"After seeing there was a trailer truck parked in front of him, Sumarno immediately turned the wheel to the right. He hit Pieter Robert Themon, who was walking along the pavement," she said.

The victim, who was knocked into the gutter, was rushed to hospital but died on arrival.

The jail term was six month lighter than demanded by Prosecutor Karmina Mintareja. (hhr)