Jailed: E-scooter rider who caused elderly cyclist's death in Bedok
SINGAPORE — A 22-year-old e-scooter rider who crashed into a 64-year-old female cyclist at high speed on a shared path in Bedok in September 2019, causing her fatal injuries, was on Thursday (20 May) jailed for 12 weeks.
Malaysian Hung Kee Boon had earlier pleaded guilty to one charge of causing death by a rash act not amounting to culpable homicide and one count of riding his non-compliant 44.2kg personal mobility device (PMD) on a public path.
Another count of riding an unregistered PMD was considered in sentencing.
Forensic analysis revealed that the culprit was riding his e-scooter at a speed between 27kmh and 43kmh just before the crash, while the victim, Ong Bee Eng, was riding at a speed of between 6kmh and 10kmh.
She died from her injuries four days later.
About the case
Hung bought his e-scooter from online marketplace Carousell for $2,000 in October 2018. Besides being over the legal weight limit, it also had a handle bar that measured 72.5cm.
The weight limit for registered PMDs cannot exceed 20kg, while their widths cannot be more than 70cm. The top speed for registered PMDs also cannot exceed 25kmh.
Ong was cycling near a coffee shop at Block 539 Bedok North Street 3 on the night of 21 September 2019. She was dressed in a light-coloured top.
She rode her bicycle across the pavement to get to the cycling path.
Although Hung saw the victim, he was unable to stop in time due to the speed that he was travelling at.
She was flung from her bicycle and landed on the adjacent path while Hung fell on the grass path.
Ong was sent to hospital unconscious with a broken skull and multiple rib and collarbone fractures.
Doctors gave a grim prognosis, that even if she underwent and survived an operation, she would likely remain in a vegetative state. In view of the prognosis, her family decided against surgical intervention. She died four days later from brain injuries with pneumonia.
Hung had a broken forearm.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Dhillon Kok had sought a jail term of at least three months, noting that this was the first case where a PMD rider caused the death of another person.
Meanwhile, Hung's pro bono lawyer, Kimberly Pah asked for probation, saying the culprit had been "mentally preoccupied" as his father had recently committed suicide.
Hung also "suffered considerable psychological trauma" from the guilt of causing the woman's death, said the lawyer.
The maximum punishment for causing death by a rash act not amounting to culpable homicide is up to five years' jail and a fine.
For riding a non-compliant PMD, Hung could have been jailed for up to three months and also fined up to $5,000.
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