A man from Singapore drove his brother’s red Mercedes home after they had both consumed alcoholic beverages at his workplace.
While attempting to negotiate a turn at a high speed, he lost control of the vehicle, resulting in a collision with multiple cars and the unfortunate death of a 59-year-old Gojek driver.
Jeremiah Ng En You, aged 35, appeared before the court and pleaded guilty on May 30, 2023, for charges of drink driving and dangerous driving, which led to the fatality of the driver.
Drove up to 169km/hr on a road with a speed limit of 60km/hr
The incident took place on December 23, 2021, along Tampines Avenue 1, according to legal documents.
Ng was behind the wheel of the red Mercedes, with his brother accompanying him as the front passenger.
He was driving at speeds ranging from 157km/h to 169km/h, surpassing the speed limit of 60km/h along Tampines Avenue 1.
As he approached the junction, he gradually reduced his speed to approximately 146km/h to 156km/h and further down to 122km/h to 130km/h.
Ng’s attempt to turn left from Tampines Avenue 1 onto Tampines Avenue 10 proved unsuccessful as he lost control of the Mercedes, which was traveling between 92km/h and 108km/h.
The Mercedes collided with a stationary white car on the driver’s side after crashing through the center divider along Tampines Ave 10.
Gojek driver killed
At the time of the collision, a 59-year-old Gojek driver named Kenn Wong Mun Soon was transporting two passengers in the white car.
The impact of the collision caused the white car to collide with other vehicles, resulting in injuries to multiple individuals.
A 25-year-old motorcyclist, who was situated between the white car and another vehicle, became trapped between both cars.
The Gojek driver and four others, aged 22 to 38, were immediately taken to Changi General Hospital for treatment.
A 42-year-old male taxi driver sought medical assistance at a private clinic.
Regrettably, Wong, who was found unconscious and in critical condition, succumbed to his injuries on December 24, 2021, and was pronounced dead.
The other victims sustained injuries of varying severity, ranging from abrasions and lacerations to fractures and traumatic brain injury.
Failed breathalyser tests twice
According to court documents, the incident occurred on December 23, 2021, during heavy traffic flow, with dry road conditions and clear weather.
Traffic police officers who attended the scene reported a strong smell of alcohol emanating from Ng, as stated in the court documents.
Ng admitted to consuming four cans of beer while having dinner and drinks with his brother and friends at his workplace.
He intended to drive himself and his brother to their residence, located approximately 10km away from their office when the incident took place.
Following a failed breathalyzer test conducted at the scene, Ng was arrested and transported to the Traffic Police Headquarters (TPHQ).
At the TPHQ, a breath evidential analyzer test conducted at 1:32 am on December 24, 2021, revealed that Ng had 42 microgrammes of alcohol per 100ml of breath, surpassing the legal limit of 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100ml of breath.
Victims’ family also suing him
Ng pleaded guilty to charges of drink driving and dangerous driving causing the death of Wong. Additionally, he agreed to have three other charges of dangerous driving considered during sentencing.
The court documents state that Ng faced five charges in total, including one for drink driving and four for dangerous driving. These charges include causing the death of Wong, causing grievous hurt to one person, causing hurt to four others, and resulting in a collision with another car.
Apart from the legal consequences, Ng is also facing three lawsuits. Wong’s sister, as well as two other victims, Ng Zi Yuan Darren (now 25), a passenger in Wong’s car, and Muhammad Fariz Sa’adon (now 42), who was in one of the affected vehicles, are suing Ng for their respective damages.
Ng was released on bail in the amount of S$15,000, and his sentencing is scheduled for July 7, 2023.
Potential penalties
If convicted of drunk driving, first-time offenders can face imprisonment of up to 12 months, fines ranging from S$2,000 to S$10,000, or both. Additionally, they may be prohibited from driving for a minimum of two years.
Repeat offenders can face imprisonment of up to two years, fines ranging from S$5,000 to S$20,000, and a driving ban of at least five years.
In the case of dangerous driving causing death, first-time offenders may be sentenced to imprisonment for a period between two and eight years and disqualified from driving for a minimum of ten years.
Apart from the legal consequences, Ng is also facing three lawsuits. Wong’s sister, as well as two other victims, Ng Zi Yuan Darren (now 25), a passenger in Wong’s car, and Muhammad Fariz Sa’adon (now 42), who was in one of the affected vehicles, are suing Ng for their respective damages.
Ng was released on bail in the amount of S$15,000, and his sentencing is scheduled for July 7, 2023.