ZHENGZHOU - Five teenagers were killed after being struck by a car driven by a drunken official in Central China's Henan province Sunday night, the latest in a series of traffic accidents in the country that stirred public outrage over law-breaking officials.

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The latest fatal accident occurred in Luoning county, Luoyang city, at 11:30 pm Sunday as the county's post office chief, Gu Qingyang, who was under the influence of alcohol, drove his car in reverse, striking five of the seven teenagers who were walking on the road, local police said.

The youngest of the teenagers who died was thirteen, police added.

Police investigators said Gu parked the car some 280 meters from the spot where he hit the first teenager. Gu has been detained for questioning as the probe continues.

The accident occurred less than two months after a local official in neighboring Hebei Province was brought into the national spotlight after his son, who was also drunk, killed a college girl in a hit-and-run case.

Li Qiming, 22, was alleged to have said "Sue me if you dare. My father is Li Gang" when stopped by the crowd. Li's father is a deputy district police chief in Baoding City. Internet users slammed the abuse of power by officials in a flurry of sarcastic jokes mocking the Li family.