After a disagreement, the driver of the e-driver stabbed a car owner in Shenzhen to death. The deceased was only 42 years old.

On December 11, 2023, a male car owner in Shenzhen was killed by an e-driver with a knife. On January 15, 2024, the e-driver platform responded to reporters and said that it would do its best to cooperate with the police investigation. Shenzhen police confirmed that the driver was suspected of intentional homicide and had been detained.

Dispute over driving route

Designated driver kills car owner

On January 15, the deceased Zhang’s sister-in-law introduced that Zhang was 42 years old, from Quanzhou, Fujian, and the crime scene was on the airport section of Bao’an Avenue in Shenzhen.

"The case happened at about 9pm on December 11 last year. The couple and their friends had been drinking, so they called a designated driver. He was not very drunk, but was still sober. They had an argument over the driving route."

The detailed cost list of the designated driver order on the deceased's mobile phone showed that the total mileage was 15.3 kilometers, and Zhang paid 60.5 yuan. The order-bound privilege was reduced by 4.5 yuan, and the final payment amount was 56 yuan.

According to Zhang's sister-in-law, they had an argument at the time, and Zhang and his wife did not expect the designated driver to use a knife. "After a few words of explanation, he (the designated driver) became dissatisfied, and drove the car to a remote place and stopped. He walked to the back door, opened it, and asked my brother-in-law to get out of the car. He stabbed him with a knife without saying a few words, and then pushed him down on the back seat and stabbed him several times. He was stabbed in the chest and abdomen and died on the spot."

Crime scene

Zhang's wife was also cut. "When she saw the driver stabbing her husband, his wife went to pull the driver away, and the back of her right hand was also cut." After the incident, Zhang's wife called the police, and the police rushed to the scene for investigation. Zhang was dead, and the murderer was arrested by the police overnight.

It is said that after the murderer stopped, he dragged Zhang out of the car, closed the door, returned to the driver's seat and started the car with the intention of escaping, but the vehicle could not be started and the murderer then fled the scene.

Family members’ demands

"The murderer must be held accountable.

The platform must also be held accountable.”

"He is a driver who accepted orders from the e-driver platform and has been detained." Zhang's sister-in-law introduced that the designated driver's surname is Chen, he is about 40 years old and is from Hunan. The case is currently being investigated and handled by the Hangcheng police in Bao'an District, Shenzhen.

Screenshots of the mobile phone order show that the driver involved is surnamed Chen, has 10 years of driving experience and is rated four stars. Since the incident, the family has been depressed and suffering every day. Zhang's wife said: "It is very common to call a designated driver. I never thought something like this would happen."

Related Designated Driver Orders

Zhang's sister-in-law said that more than a month has passed since the incident, and the platform has not dealt with it. "This is a criminal case. The murderer should be held accountable, and the platform should also be held accountable." Zhang's sister-in-law said: "Because we called the car through the platform, then don't you, the platform, have to be responsible?"

Zhang's wife revealed, "The e-driver platform is still operating normally. With the intervention of the public security department, we have negotiated with the platform headquarters twice, but they have not given the family a result."

Platform response

“The police are still investigating.

If you have any questions, contact the police."

At noon on January 15, the reporter contacted a person in charge of handling the matter at eDaijia. Regarding the qualification review of the designated driver, the other party replied: "The police are still investigating this matter. It is not convenient for us to say too much now. Either let the police contact you, or you contact the police directly."

The reporter asked whether the platform was responsible for the incident. The other party said: "The police are still investigating. If there is anything, let the police contact you directly."

Shenzhen police case filing notice

The reporter called the e-driver customer service hotline, and the customer service said: "Is it the case in Shenzhen? It is not convenient to disclose for the time being. The police are currently investigating. The platform will do its best to cooperate with the police. Our public relations have also intervened to deal with it."

On the afternoon of January 15, the reporter contacted the Hangcheng Police Station of the Airport Branch of the Shenzhen Public Security Bureau. The police confirmed that the driver involved in the case had been detained. "If you want to know the specific details of the case, you can ask the branch's case handling team."

On December 12, 2023, the Shenzhen police’s case filing notice showed that the case of the designated driver suspected of intentional homicide was considered to meet the conditions for filing a case and has now been filed for investigation.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.