Drunk Driver Jailed After CTE Crash Left Motorcyclist With Severe Injuries
A 48-year-old woman has been sentenced to one year and four months in jail after driving while intoxicated, travelling at up to 125km/h and crashing into a motorcyclist on the Central Expressway (CTE).
According to Shin Min Daily News, The collision left the 39-year-old food delivery rider with severe brain injuries and multiple fractures. The driver also left the scene instead of immediately calling for assistance.
The woman, identified as Xie Lijun in reports, was sentenced on Aug. 25. She pleaded guilty to four charges, including drink driving, driving without due care and attention, and offences relating to leaving the scene of an accident. A fifth charge was taken into consideration during sentencing.
Driver Was Travelling Up To 125km/h
The accident happened at around 1.03am on Sep. 17, 2023, along the CTE towards the Seletar Expressway.
Earlier that evening, Xie had been drinking with friends at a restaurant along Amoy Street before continuing to a nearby bar. She eventually left in the early hours, drove a friend home and continued towards her own residence.
Investigations found that she had initially been travelling in the first lane before changing across two lanes. She then remained in the third lane for about eight seconds before crashing into the rear of the motorcycle.
Her speed was estimated to have been between 116km/h and 125km/h, despite the road having a 90km/h speed limit.
The force of the collision sent the rider into the air. He landed on the car before falling onto the road, while the motorcycle was dragged along as Xie’s vehicle continued moving.
Motorcyclist Suffered Severe Brain Injuries
The injured rider was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital for emergency treatment.
His injuries were extensive, including severe brain trauma and fractures involving his skull, face, eight ribs, sternum, spine, pelvis, left wrist and right foot. He also suffered injuries to both lungs, including a condition involving blood and air accumulating around the lung that required him to be intubated.
He was subsequently given a total of 588 days of medical leave and continued to require medical treatment.
By May 2025, the rider was still experiencing partial loss of sensation in his right foot and weakness in his right ankle. He also suffered recurring headaches and mild cognitive difficulties affecting areas such as language expression and abstract thinking.
Driver Left After Crash
After the collision, Xie briefly got out of her vehicle to check on the motorcyclist. She then returned to her car and drove away without calling the police or providing assistance.
While leaving the scene, she contacted a female friend and reportedly told her that she might have killed someone. Her friend advised her to contact the police.
Xie only called the authorities after returning to the car park at her home. By that point, police had already identified her and subsequently arrested her there.
An alcohol test showed that she had 77mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood when tested. Investigators estimated that her blood alcohol level at the time of the collision could have been between 86mg and 218mg per 100ml, above the then-legal limit of 80mg.
The prosecution highlighted that Xie had been speeding while intoxicated and had several seconds after changing lanes to notice traffic ahead, yet failed to see the motorcycle.
The prosecution sought between 16 and 17 months’ imprisonment, a S$6,000 fine and a seven- to eight-year driving ban.
The court ultimately sentenced her to one year and four months in jail, fined her S$6,000 and disqualified her from driving for seven years.
Xie had also paid the injured rider S$30,000 in compensation in May 2024, while her insurer subsequently paid another S$30,000. The rider’s medical expenses totalled more than S$41,000, with most covered through MediShield Life, MediSave and other assistance schemes.
The case highlights the potentially devastating consequences of drink driving, particularly when combined with excessive speed and leaving the scene of a serious road accident.