Yap Eng Gee, a 76-year-old man, was sentenced to 7 months imprisonment on 17 August after hitting a motorcycle with his car that resulted in the pillion rider suffering serious brain injuries, according to a report by The Straits Times.
He was also disqualified from holding or getting all classes of driving licenses for 5 years.
The Accident and its Aftermath
On December 30, 2019, at approximately 9:10 PM, Yap Eng Gee was behind the wheel of his car, driving along Choa Chu Kang Road towards Bukit Panjang Road.
At the same time, two brothers, Alfred Ng Loon Way and Donald Ng Loon Siang, were riding on a motorcycle in the middle lane of the three-lane road.
Tragically, their paths crossed when Yap attempted to make a discretionary right turn into Galistan Avenue without stopping at the designated line. The motorcycle collided with Yap’s car, and the brothers were thrown onto the road.
The consequences of the collision were dire. Donald Ng Loon Siang, the pillion rider, suffered traumatic brain injuries that would have a lasting impact on his life.
The motorcyclist (Alfred Ng) and the pillion rider (Donald Ng) were flung off the motorcycle, and the pillion rider laid on the road unconscious with blood flowing from his nose and mouth.
Multiple neurosurgical procedures were needed, and he faced serious cognitive impairments that were likely to be permanent.
The court heard that he was left disoriented, confused, and unable to comprehend his surroundings. These impairments rendered him unable to perform any vocational employment, fundamentally altering the trajectory of his life.
Alfred Ng Loon Way, the motorcyclist, also suffered injuries, including fractures to his left forearm and wrist. He was fortunate in comparison to his brother but still had to endure physical and emotional pain as a result of the accident.
The Trial and Verdict
After a trial that took place in July, District Judge Wong Peck convicted Yap Eng Gee of driving without due care and attention.
The court found that Yap’s failure to stop at the designated line and his lack of awareness of the motorcycle constituted negligence and a disregard for traffic rules.
During the trial, Yap, who represented himself without legal counsel, attempted to claim that the motorcycle was speeding at the time of the accident.
However, the court dismissed this assertion as speculative and irrelevant to the case at hand. The focus remained on Yap’s failure to exercise due care and attention, which ultimately led to the collision.
In an attempt to present a different side of himself, Yap described himself as a “low-profile eccentric composer” who had performed for royalty and ambassadors.
He emphasized that he had faced significant challenges in his life, including battling cancer twice. Despite his personal narrative, the court’s ruling remained grounded in the facts and legal considerations.
Yap is intending to file an appeal against his sentence, and his bail has since been set at $10,000.