Driver in crash that killed two 'sorry for deaths'

A South Korean woman whose car hit a taxi and careered through railings into a crowd on a traffic island, killing a five-year-old girl and a young woman, said in Eastern Court she was 'sorry for the deaths'.

Park Myung-hwa, 36, denies dangerous driving causing death, but, speaking through an interpreter, she offered yesterday to plead guilty to the lesser charge of careless driving.

Prosecutor Peter Lee rejected the offer. Dangerous driving causing death carries a maximum sentence of five years' imprisonment, whereas the maximum penalty for careless driving is six months' imprisonment.

Lee Chun-yee, five, who attended St Peter's Church Kindergarten in North Point, and 23-year-old Cheng Fung-yee were killed in January's accident in Causeway Bay, and six other people injured, Mr Lee told the court.

The prosecutor said Park drove through a red light at the junction of Hing Fat Street and Victoria Park Road and collided with a taxi driven by Cheung Yuk-choi.

Mr Cheung, a prosecution witness, said he was driving along Victoria Park Road and was crossing the junction at about 15km/h when he saw a 'shadow' running at some 70km/h.

Defence barrister Toby Jenkyn-Jones accused Mr Cheung, 42, of partial responsibility for the accident.