OC Man Who Fled to S Korea Pleads Guilty

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Posted: 9:40 AM Nov 11, 2009 OC Man Who Fled to S Korea Pleads Guilty Prosecutors say an Orange County man who fled to his native South Korea to avoid arrest has pleaded guilty to killing a motorcyclist while under the influence of alcohol. Reporter: Associated Press Email Address: news@kolotv.com

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SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) - Prosecutors say an Orange County man who fled to his native South Korea to avoid arrest has pleaded guilty to killing a motorcyclist while under the influence of alcohol.

The Orange County district attorney's office says Youn Bum Lee entered his plea Tuesday in Superior Court.

Officials say Lee, who had been drinking, drove his SUV with the headlights off and crashed into a freeway median in October 2005. Ryan Dallas Cook crashed into Lee's vehicle and was thrown onto the
freeway where he was struck by three cars. He died at the scene.

Prosecutors say Lee fled the scene and left the next day for South Korea. He was arrested in 2008 on a fugitive warrant.

Lee faces up to nine years in prison.

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