Man jailed one week and banned from driving for fatal road accident
Published on Oct 20, 2014 12:30 PM
By Elena Chong
<iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/-fNRaTpwrXg?rel=0&showinfo=0" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" width="640"></iframe>
SINGAPORE - An aircraft technician who caused the death of a motorcyclist during an accident last year was jailed for one week and banned from driving for three years on Monday.
Yee Yen Chun, 37, who had pleaded guilty, was also riding a motorcycle when he failed to give way to Mr Hisham Abu Hassan and rode into the 44-year-old's path while making a right turn from Sengkang East Road into Sengkang East Avenue on Feb 22 last year.
Mr Hisham was taking his daughter, Ms Nurul Shazwani, then 18, to school when the accident happened at about 7.30am.
Yee's second charge of causing grievous hurt to Ms Nurul Shazwani was considered during his sentencing.
The court heard that Yee was travelling along Sengkang East Road at the time.
As he made a right turn, his motorcycle hit Mr Hisham's machine, which was coming from the opposite direction. Mr Hisham's motorcycle skidded for some 8.5m before coming to a stop.
A passing motorist saw the collision and called the police
Civil Defence paramedics pronounced Mr Hisham dead at the scene.
Both Yee and Ms Nurul Shazwani were taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.
Investigations showed that the traffic light was green for vehicles coming from Yee's direction going straight, and the turning arrow had yet to come on to indicate it was safe for him to turn right into Jalan Kayu.
Yee's lawyer Kelvin Tan said in mitigation that the father of two had suffered serious injuries and that the accident had also caused him significant financial difficulties.
He was on medical leave for a year and only received two-thirds of his base salary. As he cannot squat, sit or walk for extended periods of time, he also had to take a store room job on a much lower salary.
Yee could have been jailed for up to two years and fined for causing death by negligence.
