Chongqing Police Chief Fired After Wife’s Viral Road Rage Incident

By Jesse Pottinger, August 16, 2019

The internet loves a good karma story, and the latest case of road rage to go viral in China is just that, resulting in repercussions for not just the perpetrator, but also her police chief husband.

The incident occurred on July 30 in Chongqing, when Li Yue, the wife of now-dismissed Shichuan (not to be confused with Sichuan) Police Chief Tong Xiaohua, was cruising the streets of the southwestern municipality in her red Porsche.

According to The Washington Post, the 44-year-old attempted to make an illegal U-turn on a pedestrian crosswalk, but the path was obstructed by a man driving a Chery SUV – a vehicle that is, well, cheaper than a Porsche.

Undeterred by the vehicular impediment or the rule of law, Li steps out of her sports car dressed in flashy clothing from hat to heels, and unleashes fury on the unfortunate driver.

Did Li restrict her criticism to the placement of the man’s vehicle? Of course not. The villain-esque woman berated him for his “beggar’s car” and “shabby clothes,” said the man’s wife, according to The Washington Post.

She then slapped him across the face, only to be hit back with such force that her hat goes flying.

Watch below to see it all go down (VPN off):

Police eventually arrived and charged Li RMB200 for the illegal maneuver and another RMB50 for wearing shoes and a hat deemed unsafe for driving, in addition to deducting two points from her driver’s license, South China Morning Post reported, according to The Washington Post.

After a video of the scene went viral on the Chinese streaming website Pear, Chongqing authorities launched a two-week investigation that resulted in the firing of Tong, her husband, citing a disciplinary violation related to his wife’s actions.

Further videos later emerged of Li bragging about her indecent driving habits, including running red lights, speeding and evading the consequences of numerous driving violations. Police stated that since March 2016, she had 29 driving offenses attached to her Porsche and has since been held accountable for all of them.

Various references to Li started trending online, with #FemalePorscheDriver gaining instant traction on Weibo and “Porsche Woman” becoming Baidu’s most-searched term, according to The Washington Post.

Unsurprisingly, accusations that Li’s husband played a roll in her lack of accountability began circulating online. But questions about the couple’s exorbitant wealth also surfaced.

With just 39,645 residents, many questioned how the police chief of Shichuan could afford the couple’s lavish lifestyle, including their RMB8 million villa, Porsche coupe and BMW 525.

While Li has also operated a business for two decades, police are nonetheless conducting an audit of the duo’s finance records and monetary assets.

“I said a lot of irresponsible things due to my arrogance, vanity and temper,” wrote Li in a letter apologizing for her behavior, according to Sixth Tone. “I was a disgrace to the Chongqing people and I feel truly guilty and regretful.”

[Cover image: screengrab via QQ]