Driver who rammed presidential office gets five years
2015/02/05 18:26:45
CNA file photo
Taipei, Feb. 5 (CNA) The Taipei District Court on Thursday sentenced Chang Te-cheng (張德正), who rammed his 35-ton gravel truck through barriers and up the front steps of the Presidential Office in January last year, to five years and 10 months in prison.
Chang was found guilty of attempted murder, malicious destruction of buildings and property, obstructing law enforcement officers and trespass.
The court, however, did not charge Chang with violating the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act for damaging the Presidential Office, a historic building that was built in 1919.
During court hearings, Chang had denied all the charges, with the exception of property and building destruction. Chang claimed that he had planned to perish in the attack but did not intended to murder Presidential Office guards and personnel.
However, as Chang did not sound his horn and steered his gravel truck on a direct collision course toward the Presidential Office without regard to the safety of the guards on duty, the judges ruled that his actions constituted attempted murder.
The Judges presiding over Chang's case said that while the Presidential Office is considered a historical monument, its granite stairs and columns that were damaged in the incident are not protected under cultural preservation laws.
Chang's lawyer said they would appeal.
(By Tsai Pei-chi and Ted Chen)
