Police in Lianyuan, Central China's Hunan Province, reports on August 13, 2025 that a drunk driver, in an attempt to distract officers at a checkpoint, hurled 20,000 yuan ($2,790) in cash onto the road in a bid to distract the officers, was quickly apprehended. Photo: Screenshot of the report

Police in Lianyuan, Central China's Hunan Province, reported on Wednesday that a drunk driver, in an attempt to distract officers at a checkpoint, hurled 20,000 yuan ($2,790) in cash onto the road in a bid to distract the officers, was quickly apprehended.

According to the official WeChat account of Lianyuan Public Security Bureau, on August 6, traffic police set up a checkpoint to inspect drivers for alcohol consumption. 

Officers noticed a car suddenly slow down near the checkpoint, arousing suspicion. As they moved in to investigate, the driver, surnamed Hu, abruptly opened the car door and fled on foot.

Police immediately started a chase. In a desperate attempt to escape, Hu pulled out a stack of 100-yuan bills and scattered them behind him to create chaos. Banknotes flew through the air, and officers split into three groups: one continued chasing Hu, another collected the scattered money, and the third maintained order at the scene.

Hu was eventually apprehended. On-site counting revealed that he had thrown 20,000 yuan, withdrawn from a bank earlier that day.

A blood test found that Hu's blood alcohol content was 147.7 mg/100 ml, well above the legal limit of 80 mg/100 ml for drunk driving. Confronted with the results, Hu admitted to driving under the influence. 

When asked why he threw the money, Hu said regretfully, "My mind went blank; I just wanted to distract you and make a run for it."

Hu was fined 2,000 yuan, had his driver's license revoked, and he will face criminal charges. Under Chinese law, drunk driving constitutes the crime of dangerous driving, which can be punished with detention and fines.

Traffic police reminded all drivers that drunk driving is extremely dangerous, and any attempt to evade inspection is futile and may even lead to harsher penalties. They urged all motorists to obey traffic laws and avoid risks that could lead to serious consequences.