Vice director of HCMC transport firm arrested over deadly accident

By Phuoc Tuan November 10, 2023 | 12:37 am PT

Le Duong (L), vice director of Thanh Buoi Transport Company, is detained by police of Dinh Quan District, Dong Nai Province, Nov. 10, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Thai Ha

The vice director of the Thanh Buoi Transport Company was arrested for allegedly allowing a driver without a license drive a sleeper bus, which later caused an accident that killed five people.

Le Duong, 33, was detained by police in Dong Nai Province that borders HCMC on Friday for allowing an unqualified person to operate a vehicle on public roads. Duong is the son of 64-year-old Le Duc Thanh, director of Thanh Buoi.

Crowds of police officers were also seen inspecting Thanh Buoi headquarters on Le Hong Phong Street, District 5, HCMC, Friday noon.

Previously, 37-year-old Hoang Van Tinh, the driver involved in the deadly accident that killed five people in Dong Nai, was also detained for road traffic violations.

Authorities said that on Sept. 30, Duong approved an instruction that allowed Tinh to drive the sleeper bus from HCMC to Da Lat. Tinh had had his license revoked by police of Lam Dong Province on Aug. 5 for speeding however.

At around 2:30 a.m. on Sept. 30, Tinh's sleeper bus rammed into a 16-seat bus, killing five people and injuring four.

Thanh Buoi was fined VND91 million ($3,743) and had its license revoked for three months by the HCMC Department of Transport on Nov. 3.