A driver collided with a man whose car had broken down on Ophir Road, resulting in his death, after consuming four glasses of red wine during dinner.
Ang Hiap Boon, aged 51, had a breath alcohol content that was more than twice the legal limit when the accident occurred in October 2020. On Friday, he pleaded guilty to two charges, including causing death by driving without due care and attention.
What happened?
On the night of October 26, 2020, Ang had consumed wine at a restaurant located on Syed Alwi Road. He then drove his wife’s white BMW towards his residence.
Ang traveled along Jalan Besar Road and made a left turn onto Ophir Road, where a slip road connects to the East Coast Parkway.
Although the speed limit on the slip road was 50km/h, Ang was driving between 64km/h and 74km/h.
In the left lane ahead of him, there was another white BMW that had broken down due to engine issues. The driver, Mr. Syed Kaleemullah Syed Erufanulla, aged 56, was standing outside his vehicle, which had its tail lights illuminated. He was walking from the rear to the driver’s side of the car when Ang collided with him.
The impact caused Mr. Syed to be thrown forward onto the road. He was unconscious when taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
A breathalyzer test conducted after the accident revealed that Ang’s breath alcohol content was 76 microgrammes per 100ml of breath, surpassing the legal limit of 35 microgrammes per 100ml of breath.
In court, footage from Ang’s in-car camera was shown, depicting the high-speed collision with the victim and his vehicle. The judge cautioned those present about the graphic nature of the video and offered an opportunity for anyone who wished to leave before its playback.
Repeat offender
This was not Ang’s first encounter with the law. The court learned that Ang, who held the position of vice-president of operations at a company and was a director in his own consulting firm, had previously been fined and disqualified from driving for 16 months in 2005 due to a drink driving offense. A list of his prior traffic violations, which included multiple instances of speeding and disregarding red light signals, was also presented in court.
Ang is considered a serious repeat offender, and his case is believed to be the first of its kind since the enhancement of traffic laws in 2019.
As a result, the judge requested further submissions from the prosecution and defense to provide guidance to the court, and subsequently adjourned the case. The next hearing is scheduled for August.
Persons who cause death by driving without due care and attention can face a maximum sentence of three years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.
A serious repeat offender may receive an additional prison term of up to four years and may also be subject to a driving ban.
For repeat drink driving offenses, offenders can be imprisoned for up to two years, fined between $5,000 and $20,000, and disqualified from driving for five years.