A Taitung driver who hit another car and drove off escaped prosecution because he drank more alcohol at home before police arrived — a result that favors the driver and frustrates road-safety enforcement.

• A man surnamed Song sideswiped another car in Donghe Township and left the scene rather than argue with the other driver.
• Police caught up with him at his home nearly three hours later and measured a breath alcohol reading of 0.61 mg/L, far above the legal limit.
• He had drunk a bottle of deer-antler liquor after getting home, so prosecutors could not tell how drunk he was at the moment of the crash.
• With the evidence in doubt, the rule that uncertainty favors the defendant applied, and the case was dropped.

Outlook: The case is likely to fuel pressure to close the loophole that lets drivers muddy the evidence by drinking after a crash.