A college student who is alleged to have stabbed a woman to death after hitting her with his car may face the death penalty if convicted of murder.

Yao Jiaxin's car. [file photo]

The Xi'an Intermediate People's Court in northwest China's Shaanxi Province is to hear the case in which Yao Jiaxin, 22, is said to have killed Zhang Miao after he knocked her down when he found her looking at his plate number in an obvious bid to remember details of the accident, Xi'an Daily reported yesterday.

If convicted of murder, Yao may face jail terms from 10 years to life imprisonment, or the death penalty, said a senior judge.

Prosecutor Li Yuanmin of the People's Procuratorate of Xi'an City questioned Yao a week ago. Yao felt deep regret for what he did and confessed to the crimes he committed, according to Li.

Yao told him he stabbed the woman for fear she would take revenge on him.

Yao submitted two letters of regret to the prosecutor. He expressed regret to the felony he committed in one and pleaded for forgiveness from the victim's family in the other, the report said.

The victim's family has launched a civil action against Yao and his parents, asking for more than 540,000 yuan (US$81,724) compensation, according to the report.

Yao was on his way to meet his girlfriend when he knocked over the 26-year-old electric bike rider, the mother of a two-year-old boy, on October 20.

Zhang suffered a fractured left leg and some minor head injuries in the accident, according to a police report. After he spotted her trying to remember his plate number, Yao stabbed Zhang eight times in the chest, back and left arm with a knife until she lost consciousness.