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Bui Thanh Khoa, 40, was sentenced to one year in jail for "intentional infliction of injury," as ruled by the People's Court of District 4 on Monday.
The victim, a 23-year-old woman, did not attend the trial or seek compensation.
The court found Khoa's actions to be violent and reckless, endangering not only the victim's health and life but also disrupting public order and traffic safety.
According to the indictment, at around 7 a.m. on Dec. 9, 2024, the woman was riding her motorbike and as she tried to overtake Khoa's, he forced her toward the median strip, stopped his bike, and started beating her.
Khoa repeatedly punched the woman in the face, causing her to fall to the ground. He continued to strike her head and kick her face until another driver intervened. Khoa then fled the scene.
The assault was captured on a dashcam. A medical examination later determined that the victim suffered a 1% injury. She requested criminal charges against Khoa.
The entire incident of a minor collision in HCMC and the following assault as captured on a car's dash cam on Dec. 9, 2024.
At the trial, Khoa admitted to the charges and expressed remorse. He explained that he was under immense stress after his recent divorce, which left him as the sole caregiver for his two young children.
"On the day of the incident, my wife had just moved out, leaving me to care for our children alone. I was overwhelmed. Since my arrest, my children have had to rely on relatives for care. I deeply regret my actions and sincerely apologize to the victim," Khoa said, pleading for a suspended sentence to return to his children.
Although Khoa’s relatives brought his two children to the courthouse, they were too young to attend the proceedings.
His niece took them to a nearby café to wait, hoping they could see their father briefly before being taken home.
"Since his arrest, I’ve had to leave my own family in Dong Nai [which borders HCMC] to take care of his children. On weekends when they don’t have school, I bring them back to Dong Nai," Khoa's sister said.
