SOURCE: The Straits Times
A drunk driver was spared jail yesterday over an accident that left a cyclist dead.
Prosecutors had called for a jail sentence of at least six months plus an eight-year driving ban for Wong Yew Foo, 38, who drank about two bottles of beer at a coffee shop before ploughing his car into Mr Sin San Wah, 67.
But the salesman was fined $10,000 for causing his death through negligence and another $2,500 for drink-driving.
He will also serve a four-year driving ban.
The court heard that Wong and his friends had ordered six bottles of beer when they met for dinner at a coffee shop in Geylang on April 4. He later drove one of his friends home before heading home himself.
Wong was driving along Lower Delta Road when he entered a slip road leading to Jalan Bukit Merah.
He failed to stop at the slip road and make the proper checks, resulting in the car hitting the cyclist. The retiree suffered multiple injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic.
Police found Wong smelling strongly of alcohol. He was arrested and taken to the Traffic Police department, where he was found to have 42 microgrammes (mcg) of alcohol in every 100ml of his breath, 7mcg above the legal limit.
He pleaded guilty to both charges on Dec 5. Assistant Public Prosecutor Dillon Kok said Wong had not discharged his duty to other road users when he entered the main road from the slip road without stopping.
“For a driver to cause fatality... is the greatest harm that a drink driver can do,” he said.
But District Judge Jasbendar Kaur yesterday said the court was not of the view that this was an unusual case of negligence that required a custodial sentence.
At the last hearing, Wong’s lawyer Raj Singh Shergill had said in mitigation that his client recalled having drunk slightly less than two bottles of beer and genuinely believed he was fit to drive.
Wong, he said, made no excuse for his conduct and apologised.
In hindsight, he should have checked more carefully and he might have been preoccupied with his thoughts, he added.
“He gives his unconditional undertaking that he will never drive again under the influence of drink,” said Mr Shergill.
Counsel said Wong was at a loss to explain why the accident occurred after he entered the central lane.
He pointed out that there was an extremely broad tree which might have obscured his client’s view. That tree had since been cut down, the court heard.
