A man with no driving license was sentenced to death for dragging and killing an 8-year-old girl with his car, according to a court verdict in southwest China's Chongqing municipality on Thursday.

In addition, two accomplices of the defendant, Peng Jiang, each received seven-year sentences.

The incident occurred on the evening of Jan. 26 when Peng was driving a car that included passengers Chen Jiawei and Xiong Zebin. The court heard how he drove up on a sidewalk and hit an adult pedestrian and youngster Wen Mengtian. He then drove away.

The first stricken pedestrian, Tang Mingni, was knocked over by the car. Wen was not so lucky as she was thrown under the vehicle chasis. Despite knowing someone was under the car, Peng continued to drive away from the scene.

According to the court, Chen and Xiong had urged Peng to drive on. The girl was dragged at least 100 meters from the site. She was later found dead of a cranial injury.

The three men escaped the incident and later destroyed the car.

The prosecutor held that what Peng had done was an intentional murder.

(Xinhua News Agency August 1, 2008)