YouTube ‘drunk driving hunter’ and subscribers sentenced to prison after chase ends in fatal crash

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Okay, so this is crazy. There was this YouTuber who basically went around trying to catch people he thought were driving drunk. He’d livestream it, and his viewers would help. Well, one of those livestreams ended really badly – a chase happened, and sadly, someone died in a crash. Now, the YouTuber’s going to prison because of it. It’s a really messed up situation, and it just shows how dangerous things can get when you try to take the law into your own hands.

On May 7th, a South Korean court sentenced the creator, known only as Choi, to a year and a half in prison, as reported by Korea JoongAng Daily.

The court determined that he and his followers put themselves and others at risk when they chased a driver suspected of being intoxicated around 3:50 AM on September 22, 2024, in the Gwangsan District of Gwangju.

During a YouTube livestream, Choi allegedly walked up to a driver who was stopped at a red light and questioned them about possible drunk driving. The driver then drove off quickly for roughly 1.2 miles before colliding with a trailer parked on the side of the road.

It was so awful – the driver tragically died right there, even though Choi and all of us watching tried our best to help. To make things even worse, the car eventually caught fire and was completely destroyed. It’s just heartbreaking.

YouTuber and subscribers sentenced after causing crash while chasing suspected drunk driver

So, before all the crazy stuff happened, me and a bunch of other people watching Choi’s stream actually reported this SUV to the police because we thought the driver was drunk. Then, when things kicked off, it wasn’t just Choi chasing after them – a couple of us, viewers who were part of his community, joined in with our own cars and we were all broadcasting it live on YouTube. It was wild!

In addition to the main defendants, others involved, including those who participated in the pursuit, also faced penalties. They were either given a six-month prison sentence that was suspended for two years, or they were fined between 1 million and 2 million Korean won – equivalent to about $689 to $1,370.

I heard the people involved in the broadcast said they were doing it to fight for what they believe in – social justice – and that they honestly didn’t mean to cause any trouble or hurt anyone. They really seemed to think they were doing the right thing.

They expressed hope that no one would be injured by drunk driving and stated they didn’t mean to cause the victim’s death or any injury.

The court disagreed with that claim, stating that Choi’s actions were a personal matter of punishment, not something done for the public good.

The judge stated that Choi was largely to blame for the situation because he directed the events while livestreaming, revealed the identity of someone suspected of driving under the influence, and participated in a risky pursuit.

He also stated that the individuals committed the crime knowingly, even though they were already under investigation for related issues or had previously received warnings, and that their actions were part of a planned effort.

Choi received a sentence of eighteen months in jail and was taken into custody right after the judge announced the decision.

YouTubers who take the law into their own hands have faced criticism for interfering with police investigations.

Earlier this month, the leader of the group ‘Dads Against Predators,’ who is also a content creator, was accused of battery and extortion. He allegedly assaulted someone he believed was a predator and forced another person to eat cigarette butts.

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2026-05-08 23:49