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SINGAPORE — Sentencing has been pushed back for a Singapore Airlines (SIA) pilot who pleaded guilty to reckless driving in an accident in New Zealand that seriously injured two of his co-workers.
The New Zealand Herald reported that sentencing for Benjamin Yonghao Wu was delayed until Friday (Oct 10) to give the police enough time to speak to the victims and produce statements for the judge before a sentence was decided upon.
Wu, 32, pleaded guilty to two charges of reckless driving causing injury after crashing into a four-wheel drive towing a horse float near Rolleston, south of Christchurch on Oct 1.
Wu had failed to notice a stop sign while driving the car that carried him and four of his SIA co-workers.
He managed to slow down to about 40-50kmh but did not make an abrupt stop, while the driver of the four-wheel drive braked heavily but was unable to avoid the collision, the New Zealand Herald reported.
His colleague, chief steward Chew Weng Wai, was a backseat passenger and not wearing a seatbelt. The Christchurch District Court heard today that he suffered bleeding and swelling to the brain as well as significant internal bleeding. He is still being monitored in hospital and was undergoing further procedures today.
Stewardess Vanessa Leonara Savio Coelho also was not wearing a seatbelt while sitting in the backseat. She had suffered a fractured arm and shattered pelvis as well as spleen and bladder injuries. She has since been discharged from Christchurch Hospital.
Two other passengers were unhurt and have returned home. SIA had flown both the victims’ and pilot’s families to New Zealand.
The police have Wu’s passport, and he was remanded on continued bail with the conditions to not drive a motor vehicle and not to travel outside Christchurch.
The New Zealand Herald reported that sentencing for Benjamin Yonghao Wu was delayed until Friday (Oct 10) to give the police enough time to speak to the victims and produce statements for the judge before a sentence was decided upon.
Wu, 32, pleaded guilty to two charges of reckless driving causing injury after crashing into a four-wheel drive towing a horse float near Rolleston, south of Christchurch on Oct 1.
Wu had failed to notice a stop sign while driving the car that carried him and four of his SIA co-workers.
He managed to slow down to about 40-50kmh but did not make an abrupt stop, while the driver of the four-wheel drive braked heavily but was unable to avoid the collision, the New Zealand Herald reported.
His colleague, chief steward Chew Weng Wai, was a backseat passenger and not wearing a seatbelt. The Christchurch District Court heard today that he suffered bleeding and swelling to the brain as well as significant internal bleeding. He is still being monitored in hospital and was undergoing further procedures today.
Stewardess Vanessa Leonara Savio Coelho also was not wearing a seatbelt while sitting in the backseat. She had suffered a fractured arm and shattered pelvis as well as spleen and bladder injuries. She has since been discharged from Christchurch Hospital.
Two other passengers were unhurt and have returned home. SIA had flown both the victims’ and pilot’s families to New Zealand.
The police have Wu’s passport, and he was remanded on continued bail with the conditions to not drive a motor vehicle and not to travel outside Christchurch.
