Car driver stabs motorcyclist to death for not giving way

Nguyen Ba Loc, 40, received the sentence for murder, the court announced Monday.

According to the verdict, the victim, who was working as a DJ at a bar, was driving on Pasteur Street in District 1 at around 1 a.m. on Oct. 10, 2022, with his girlfriend on the back of his motorbike.

When the couple reached the intersection with Dien Bien Phu Street, Loc arrived from behind, driving a car as rented by a ride-hailing firm.

Loc repeatedly honked to ask the motorcyclist to let him pass.

The motorcyclist refused to give him space and continued to drive ahead before reaching a red light.

That moment, Loc got out of the car and took along a knife. He began to assault the motorcyclist, beating him in the head.

The motorcyclist fought back by using his own helmet.

As the fight escalated, Loc used the knife to stab the motorcyclist in the temple. Loc then returned to his car and drove away.

The girlfriend took the motorcyclist to the nearest hospital, from where he was transferred to another facility as his injury was considered serious. He died three days later.

Speaking in court, Loc said he was on his way to pick up a passenger at Tan Son Nhat airport and was in a rush.

"I honked at him, asking him to let me pass but he refused and gave me a nasty look. After that, he also hit me with a helmet, and I accidentally stabbed him."

The victim's girlfriend said they were moving in the lane for both motorcycles and cars, and if Loc really needed to pass, he could have moved to the lane for cars only.

She said Loc repeatedly honked at them, making them both feel "irritated."

The victim's father said his family does not require any compensation from Loc and only wanted him to be strictly treated according to the law to "set an example to others."