Motorist who dozed off at wheel jailed four weeks for killing cyclist
Published on Sep 24, 2014 3:58 PM
Motorist Ambrose Law Tiang Beng, 58, was jailed for four weeks and banned from the road for five years on Wednesday for dozing off at the wheel and hitting and killing a cyclist. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW
Cyclist Quek Chin Chong died after being hit by Law's Mercedes-Benz as he rode along Thomson Road at around midnight on Dec 17 last year. -- PHOTO: QUEK FAMILY
By Elena Chong
SINGAPORE - A motorist who dozed off at the wheel then hit and killed a cyclist was jailed for four weeks and banned from the road for five years on Wednesday.
Ambrose Law Tiang Beng, 58, had been driving home from a night out with friends at around midnight on Dec 17 last year when his Mercedes-Benz piled into Mr Quek Chin Chong as he rode along Thomson Road.
The 58-year-old was sent hurtling off the bicycle before landing on Law's car windscreen, then onto the road behind him.
Law's car mounted the left road verge and came to a halt after hitting a tree.
Mr Quek was pronounced dead in hospital five hours later.
Law, a senior advisor for a consultancy advisory firm, admitted causing his death.
A district court heard that Law had been for dinner with friends at Sin Ming Industrial Estate where he drank 1 1/2 glasses of wine.
His friend drove him home. At about 10.15pm, he drove to Four Seasons Hotel to join the same group of friends for drinks. He recalled drinking less than a glass of wine.
When the first police officer arrived at the accident scene, he noticed that Law smelt strongly of alcohol, had a flushed face and bloodshot eyes.
Law had admitted that he dozed off while driving along Thomson Road. He recalled hitting a tree after mounting the kerb but was not aware of any contact with the cyclist.
Pleading for leniency, Law's lawyer Ravinderpal Singh said his client was the global chief financial officer at Merrill Lynch International Bank and Bank of Singapore before he retired.
Now a senior advisor, Law has been actively involved in community and charity work, the lawyer said. He added that Law, a regular blood donor, deeply regretted the incident.
Law could have been jailed for up to two years and/or fined for causing death through negligence.
