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Dec 29, 2010
Ex-bus driver charged with causing maid's death
By Khushwant Singh
Former bus driver Chang I Ching, 43, was charged with allegedly driving in dangerous manner. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW
A MAID crossing a road in April 2010, was hit by a SMRT bus but a split second before the collision, Ms Puji Astutik flung the baby she was carrying, to safety.
The one-year-old infant, her employer's daughter, survived. Ms Puji, 28, died.
Former bus driver Chang I Ching, 43, was charged on Wednesday with allegedly driving in a dangerous manner.
She is said to have failed to give way to the Indonesian maid while making a left turn from Choa Chu Kang North 6 into Choa Chu Kang Street 52 at 7.31pm on April 24.
The case has been adjourned till Jan 31 when parties will discuss arrangements for the trial.
If found guilty, Chang could be jailed up to five years and disqualified from driving for a period to be determined by the court.
According to court documents, the pedestrian crossing signal was in Ms Puji's favour.
Previous newspaper reports indicated that the maid also had her employer's elder daughter, then aged two, with her. The older girl was also unhurt.
As a result of the accident, Ms Puji was trapped underneath the bus.
Officers from the Singapore Civil Defence Force had to use a 10-tonne jack to free her.
Conveyed to the National University Hospital with multiple injuries, she died at 11pm.
Her body has been sent back to her family in Java. Neither Chang nor the 50 passengers on the bus were injured and the driver was sacked soon after the accident.
