LayarHijau – The alleged hit-and-run case involving actress Jin Chen (金晨) sparked widespread discussion on social media starting January 29. However, based on the official police investigation and legal analysis from a lawyer, the incident does not constitute a criminal hit-and-run offense, but instead falls within the scope of an administrative violation.
On January 30, police released an official statement regarding the incident. According to the report, after the accident occurred, Jin Chen sustained facial injuries and immediately went to a hospital in Shanghai for medical treatment, accompanied by Liu Mouyi. Meanwhile, her assistant, Xu Mouqing, remained at the scene to report the incident to the police.
Police stated that during the initial handling of the case, Xu Mouqing claimed to be the driver of the vehicle. Based on that statement, officers classified the incident as a single-vehicle accident and processed it under simplified procedures. Subsequent investigation later confirmed that Xu Mouqing had made a false statement by claiming to be the driver. However, authorities emphasized that no insurance fraud was involved, as no actual insurance claim was ever filed.
Commenting on the case, Zhou Zhaocheng, a lawyer from Beijing Anjian Law Firm, stated that neither Jin Chen nor her assistant meets the criteria for criminal liability. “Based on the information currently disclosed in the police report, neither party constitutes a criminal offense, but their actions do involve administrative violations,” Zhou said in an interview with the media.
Zhou explained that Xu Mouqing’s act of falsely claiming to be the driver clearly violates China’s Public Security Administration Punishments Law. In administrative investigations related to traffic accidents, providing false statements to law enforcement may result in administrative detention ranging from five to ten days, along with a fine of 200 to 500 yuan.
However, Zhou stressed that the case cannot be categorized as a criminal offense such as harboring a criminal or falsifying criminal evidence. “A prerequisite for the crime of harboring is that the protected individual must have committed a criminal offense in the first place. In this case, Jin Chen’s driving behavior constituted only a routine traffic violation and did not meet the threshold for the crime of traffic accident negligence,” he explained.
Regarding accusations of hit-and-run, Zhou firmly stated that Jin Chen’s decision to leave the scene for medical treatment does not qualify as fleeing the scene. According to him, the essence of a hit-and-run lies in escaping to avoid legal responsibility. “Jin Chen was genuinely injured and required medical treatment, and she arranged for her assistant to stay at the scene and report the incident to the police. That does not constitute a hit-and-run,” Zhou emphasized.
Nevertheless, Zhou noted that the legal nature of the case could change if evidence were found showing that Jin Chen actively instructed or knowingly allowed her assistant to provide false statements. As of now, the police report contains no evidence indicating that Jin Chen directed such behavior, meaning she cannot be held criminally liable for her assistant’s actions.
In a statement posted on her social media account, Jin Chen acknowledged that the sudden nature of the accident and the emotional stress at the time led her assistant to provide inaccurate information to the police. After regaining full consciousness following surgery, she stated that as the actual driver, she should bear full responsibility for the incident.
Jin Chen also disclosed that she canceled the insurance claim process and personally covered all costs related to vehicle damage, roadside facilities, and the damaged residential wall. She stated that all compensation payments were completed in April 2025.
Based on the police clarification and legal analysis, Jin Chen is not facing criminal charges in this case. However, she may still be subject to administrative penalties for traffic violations, while her assistant is expected to bear legal consequences for providing false statements in accordance with applicable regulations.
