Đinh Văn Long, born in 1974, appeared in front of the one-day trial on June 30. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Hà Nội People's Court on Tuesday sentenced a truck driver to 20 years in prison for murdering a teenage girl by driving over and dragging her beneath his vehicle after an accident in September last year.

The defendant, 52-year-old Đinh Văn Long from the northern province of Phú Thọ, was convicted of murder in the death of Nguyễn Đào Hà A., born in 2010 and residing in Phú Xuyên Commune, Hà Nội.

According to court documents, Long had been employed as a driver by a local construction materials company since January 2024.

At around 9am on September 13, 2025, Long was driving a concrete mixer carrying about 14 tonnes of ready-mix concrete towards National Highway 1A.

As his truck approached the Vạn Điểm underpass in Phú Xuyên Commune, a truck travelling in the same direction appeared on the vehicle's left side, while the victim, riding an electric motorbike, attempted to overtake from the right.

Prosecutors said the girl lost control of her vehicle and fell onto the road directly in front of the truck. The front right wheel ran over her abdomen.

Long told investigators that he heard a loud impact and felt the steering wheel shake. He braked and the truck came to a stop several metres later.

After checking his mirrors and failing to see the victim, Long allegedly decided to continue driving.

According to the indictment, at that moment, Long said he feared that if the girl survived he would face a substantial compensation claim, whereas if she died he would only bear criminal responsibility.

Despite feeling unusual resistance and sensing the tyres grinding against an object beneath the truck, Long drove forward for another 10m.

He only stopped when bystanders ran towards the vehicle, shouting that an accident had occurred and pointing beneath the truck. The victim had become trapped under the vehicle and was dragged along the road.

Long later reversed the truck by about three metres. The girl was still alive when she was pulled from beneath the vehicle but had suffered catastrophic abdominal injuries. She died while being transported to Bạch Mai Hospital, one of the leading medical establishments in the country.

The defendant left the scene and turned himself in to police later that evening.

During the investigation, Long's daughter voluntarily paid VNĐ80 million (US$3,000) in compensation, while his employer paid an additional VNĐ100 million ($3,800) to the victim's family.

The victim's family requested that the defendant be dealt with severely and sought compensation for emergency treatment, funeral expenses, and emotional damages.

The trial panel described Long's actions as "particularly dangerous", finding that he intentionally continued driving over the victim after the initial accident out of fear of having to pay compensation. The court said the act demonstrated direct intent and a "violent nature" that had caused widespread public outrage.

In addition to the 20-year prison sentence, the court ordered Long to pay a further VNĐ182 million in compensation to the victim's family. — VNS