Chinese student charged over fatal US car crash 'released on US$2 million bail'

A Chinese student facing charges in the United States over a fatal car accident was released from custody after his family paid US$2 million (HK$15.51 million) bail, according to reports.

Xu Yichun, 19, allegedly drove his Mercedes-Benz at high speed in residential areas of Des Moines before crashing into another car on November 10 last year. The driver of the car later died in hospital and three other passengers in it were injured, according to US reports. 

News of his release last Friday generated a flurry of interest on Chinese social media on Tuesday morning - the first day of new sessions of China’s National People’s Congress. Many were concerned that the court might not get Xu Yichun back to the US if he returns to China. There is no extradition treaty between the US and China.

The report by a Sing Tao Daily reporter in San Francisco said Xu Yichun was from a rich family. His father, Xu Zhaohong, was the chief executive of taxchina.com, a prominent mainland tax and accounting firm.

“[Some of] the second generation of China’s rich families are trouble makers in other countries,”  said “Pretending in New York” - which attracted a lot of praise from Chinese netizens.