Unlicensed minibus driver jailed for crashing into woman
The accident scene at Toa Payoh Lorong 1, outside Braddell MRT Station, when an elderly woman was knocked down by a minibus on 14 October 2015. The minibus was carrying children, who were picked up by another bus after the incident. The woman has been hospitalised and was understood that she underwent surgery on her ribs and leg.
Photo: The Straits Times
Elena Chong
Saturday, Jul 23, 2016
A man was driving a minibus without a licence or insurance when he knocked down an elderly woman, resulting in her having her right leg amputated above the knee.
Wong Chok Sun was jailed for two weeks and banned from driving for three years from yesterday for causing grievous hurt by a negligent act that endangered life on Oct 14 last year.
The 47-year-old was also fined a total of $1,400 for driving the minibus without a Class 4 driving licence and insurance coverage.
He was also banned for 12 months, from his date of conviction, on the insurance charge. He pleaded guilty to the three charges last month.
Court documents said that he failed to give way to Madam Yong Soh Mui, 69, at a pedestrian crossing when making a right turn from Toa Payoh North into Lorong 1 Toa Payoh at about noon that day.
Madam Yong suffered a serious head injury, and fractures on her limbs, right pelvis and face. She was more than halfway across the road when she was hit.
She was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital and her right leg was amputated. She was discharged on Dec 30.
Investigations showed that Wong did not have a Class 4 licence as he had not renewed the licence after being disqualified from driving in 2006.
He could have been jailed for up to two years and fined up to $5,000 for causing grievous hurt by a negligent act that endangered life.
For driving without a licence, he could have been fined up to $1,000 or jailed for up to three months. On the insurance charge, the maximum punishment is a $1,000 fine, three months' jail and disqualification of 12 months.
