Driver nods off at wheel, crashes into elderly couple

[Guan Ping]

Driver nods off at wheel, crashes into elderly couple

Sleepy driver wracked with guilt after killing woman in crash. One month later, her grieving hubby is diagnosed with terminal cancer.

By Pearly Tan
October 30, 2010

When he got into his car to drive home, he had been awake for about 22 hours and had drunk two small glasses of wine.

Five minutes before reaching his Shunfu flat, Ng Jui Chuan, 34, a sales manager, nodded off at the wheel and lost control of his car.

It hit an elderly couple who were walking to church.

The accident at about 6.50am on Nov 8 last year along Upper Thomson Road killed Madam Mok Sow Loon, 76, and injured her husband, Mr Wee Song Mong, also 76.

Before Mr Wee could get over his grief, tragedy struck again less than a month later. He was diagnosed with advanced-stage liver and lung cancer and is terminally ill.

On Thursday, Ng, who has an MBA from the UK, was fined $9,500 and disqualified from driving for three years.

He had claimed trial to one charge each of causing death through a rash act and causing hurt through a rash act.

For causing death through a negligent act, Ng could have been jailed two years and fined.

For causing hurt through a negligent act, he could have been jailed six months and fined $2,500.

 

[bumblebee]

Fatal accident: Prosecution appeals


Nov 1, 2010

Fatal accident: Prosecution appeals

By Elena Chong

THE prosecution has filed an appeal against the conviction and sentence of a fine imposed on a motorist who caused the death of an elderly pedestrian along Upper Thomson Road last year. Ng Jui Chuan, 34, a business development manager, was fined $7,000 and banned from driving last Thursday for causing the death of Madam Mok Sow Loon, 76, by doing a negligent act.

He was convicted of driving his car inspite of being tired and dozed off at the wheel, causing his car to hit Madam Mok, who was on her way to morning mass with her husband, Mr Wee Song Mong, 77. Ng was also fined the maximum $2,500 for hurting Mr Wee by doing an act so negligently as to endanger life at about 6.48am on Nov 8.

The court heard that Ng had not slept for 22 hours before the accident, and had two glasses of wine at a friend's home in Yishun but he was not charged with drink driving. He was tried for causing death by doing a rash act which normally attracts a jail term, but the court amended the charge to the lower limb of negligence after trial.

In January this year, another pedestrian, former Olympian Tan Eng Yoon, 82, died in a road traffic accident while he was on his way home after attending mass at the Church of the Holy Spirit along the same stretch of road.

 

[Musashi Miyamoto]

Failed appeal to jail driver responsible for fatal car accident
By Ong Dai Lin | Posted: 11 April 2011 1625 hrs

SINGAPORE: The prosecution has lost its appeal to jail Ng Jui Chuan who had fallen asleep at the wheel and knocked down an elderly couple at Thomson Road in November 2009.

In his judgement Monday morning, Justice Choo Han Teck said that tiredness alone would not be sufficient to infer rashness.

The prosecution had earlier appealed against Ng's sentence of a S$9,500 fine and three-year driving ban and sought a jail sentence.

It had also appealed against the decision of the district court to amend Ng's original charge of causing death by a rash act to negligence.

Justice Choo said in his judgement that looking at the totality of the circumstances of the case, Ng was not speeding, had not committed any traffic violation, and there was no significant alcohol level in his blood.

His actions, therefore, "fall short of rashness."

Ng was driving home on Nov 8, 2009, after not sleeping for 22 hours and after drinking two glasses of wine.

At around 6.50am, when he was about five minutes away from home, his car veered left and hit Mdm Mok Sow Loon, 76, and her husband Mr Wee Song Mong.

Mdm Mok died on the spot, while Mr Wee suffered minor injuries.

- CNA/cc

 

[Musashi Miyamoto]

Apr 12, 2011

Fine upheld for Thomson crash driver

After Ng Jui Chuan fell asleep at the wheel, his car hit two pedestrians.

THE High Court has dismissed an appeal by the prosecution against the amendment of charges and the sentences imposed on a driver in the Thomson accident which killed a pedestrian and injured another.

Justice Choo Han Teck yesterday maintained the $9,500 fine and three-year driving ban handed down to Ng Jui Chuan, 34.

Ng fell asleep at the wheel when he was driving along Upper Thomson Road at about 6.45am on Nov 8, 2009. His car veered to the side of the road.

It hit Madam Mok Sow Loon, 76, and her husband Wee Song Mong, 77, who were heading to a church. Mr Wee suffered minor injuries but she died on the spot.

When the police arrived, Ng, a manager in a milk products company, admitted he had dozed off while driving.

He was charged with causing Madam Mok's death by a rash act and endangering Mr Wee's life by a rash act.

SELINA LUM

Read the full story in Tuesday's edition of The Straits Times.

 

[saratogas]

Clap, clap, clap... Tired is not a crime!