Lorry driver who hit elderly man in fatal accident jailed, banned from driving
The accident occurred at the junction of Victoria Street and Manila Street. (Photo: Google Maps)
SINGAPORE: A delivery driver who ran over an elderly man in an accident outside Bugis+ last year was jailed for four weeks and banned from driving for five years on Wednesday (Jul 18). The victim died on the same day in hospital.
Koh Kian Chuan, 61, was driving his lorry on Victoria Street on Nov 18 last year at about 10.30am.
When turning left from Victoria Street into Manila Street, he hit an 80-year-old pedestrian, Mr Yeo Kim Yiam, running over him.
Mr Yeo was crossing Manila Street at a slow speed, court documents said, but Koh did not slow down or keep a proper look-out for the pedestrian.
Mr Yeo was taken to Singapore General Hospital and was found to have sustained severe brain injuries and fractures.
He had a heart attack immediately after undergoing operations and was resuscitated, but suffered another heart attack and died that evening.
Koh was not intoxicated and his lorry was in working condition, toxicology and vehicle damage reports later showed.
District Judge Edgar Foo on Wednesday sentenced Koh to four weeks' jail. He was also disqualified from holding or obtaining all classes of driving licences for five years from his release from prison.
For causing the death of a person by a negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide, Koh could have been jailed for up to two years and fined.
