Truck driver intentionally drags teen girl beneath vehicle following accident
A 52-year-old truck driver in Vietnam has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for running over and dragging a 15-year-old girl beneath his vehicle.
According to Vietnam News, the driver intentionally continued driving with the girl stuck under the vehicle due to fear of paying large compensation.
The court found that the act showed direct intent and a “violent nature”, which sparked widespread public outrage.
Victim lost balance while trying to overtake truck
Đinh Văn Long was driving a concrete mixer truck carrying about 14 tonnes of ready-mix concrete in Hanoi at around 9.20am on 13 Sept 2025.
Source: VietNamNet.vn
At the same time, the 15-year-old victim, Nguyễn Đào Hà A, was riding an electric bike.
She attempted to overtake the vehicle on the right, but encountered a cargo truck that had tried to pull ahead from the left.
The student then lost her balance and fell onto the road in front of the truck, prosecutors said.
Kept driving with girl trapped under vehicle
Following the fall, the truck’s front right wheel ran over the girl’s abdomen.
After hearing a loud crashing sound and felt the shaking of the steering wheel, Long hit the brakes, and his vehicle stopped after several metres.
However, when he did not see the victim through the mirrors, he continued driving.
Source: VietNamNet.vn
It was only when bystanders ran toward the truck, telling him about the accident and pointing underneath, that Long finally stopped.
The girl was found to have been dragged along the road, trapped under the vehicle.
Long then reversed the truck by about three metres.
The incident left a skid mark approximately 10 meters long, Laodong reported.
Victim succumbed to her injuries at hospital
The girl was still alive when she was pulled out.
However, due to catastrophic abdominal injuries, she died while being transported to the hospital.
At around 7pm on the same day, Long turned himself in to the police.
He was detained on 14 Sept 2025 on charges of murder following the collection of evidence, Vietnam Net reported.
Feared large compensation claim if girl survived
During the investigation, Long admitted that after driving a short distance further, he looked in his rearview mirror and saw the electric scooter wedged beneath the truck’s tyres.
Unable to see the rider and realising the victim might still be alive, he feared the financial compensation liabilities.
Source: Lao Dong
He shifted into third gear and accelerated forward. As a result, the concrete truck dragged the schoolgirl for approximately 10 metres.
The driver confessed that he ensured that the victim died so he would go to prison rather than deal with the lifelong financial burden of compensation.
Driver voluntarily paid S$3,940 to her family
It was revealed during proceedings that the driver had voluntarily paid VNĐ80 million (S$3,940) to the victim’s family, Vietnam News reported.
His employer also gave them another VNĐ100 million (S$4,926).
The victim’s family called for severe action against the defendant, and sought compensation for emergency care, funeral costs, and emotional distress.
On 30 June, the court sentenced Long to 20 years’ imprisonment, saying the act demonstrated direct intent and a “violent nature.”
He was also ordered to pay an additional VNĐ182 million (S$8,970) in compensation to the victim’s family.
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Featured image adapted from VietNamNet.vn.
