Chinese Man Buys Coffin, Fakes Death to Escape Drunk Driving Case, Caught

A man in central China allegedly orchestrated an elaborate fake-death scheme with the help of his family in a desperate bid to evade punishment for drink-driving, only for investigators to expose the deception months later. The bizarre case, recently revealed by prosecutors in Anyang, Henan province, has sparked widespread discussion across Chinese social media.

The man, identified only by his surname Si, was arrested for drink-driving in January last year. During the investigation, authorities discovered he had previously been caught twice for driving without a licence while intoxicated. He was later released on bail as the case proceeded.

Under Chinese law, drink-driving can be prosecuted as the criminal offence of dangerous driving, carrying penalties that include licence revocation, up to six months of criminal detention and a monetary fine.

Fearing imprisonment, Si allegedly decided to vanish. Prosecutors said he believed another conviction, coupled with his mounting debts and previous offences, would destroy any chance of rebuilding his life.

In June last year, he allegedly staged an elaborate overdose scene. According to prosecutors, he purchased a coffin, scattered empty medicine bottles around his home, held his breath while lying motionless, and used cooling equipment to make his body feel cold. His family then claimed he had died from an overdose, saying his face was covered because it had become "distorted".

Before nightfall, Si's mother and grandmother reportedly hurried to bury the coffin while he secretly fled more than a thousand kilometres away to Yunnan province in southwestern China, where he sought work.

However, the carefully planned cover-up quickly fell apart when police arrived after receiving news of Si's alleged death. Investigators immediately noticed several inconsistencies. The family had never sought emergency medical assistance, the coffin had been bought in advance, and there was no official death certificate, cremation record or cancellation of Si's household registration.

Authorities also found that no one apart from Si's mother and grandmother had seen the body, as his face remained covered throughout the supposed funeral.

After examining CCTV footage, bank transactions and mobile phone records, investigators concluded that Si was alive and launched a manhunt. He was eventually arrested in April this year and, the following month, sentenced to five months of criminal detention and fined 20,000 yuan (around US$3,000).

On June 11, police also opened criminal investigations against Si's mother and grandmother on suspicion of helping to harbour and shield an offender.