Polytechnic student gets jail for causing e-bike rider's death in crash at Jurong West car park

SINGAPORE: A polytechnic student was on Wednesday (Jun 1) sentenced to six weeks' jail for causing the death of a 55-year-old e-bicycle rider in a crash at a Jurong West car park.

Muhammad Adham Ishak, 24, was also disqualified from driving for eight years after pleading guilty to one count of driving without due care and attention.

He was only about a week into his job as a delivery driver when the collision happened on Feb 18, 2020.

At about 7pm that day, Adham completed a delivery at Jurong West Avenue 1 and was going to his next delivery location in the area.

He was exiting the car park of Block 537, Jurong West Avenue 1 in a van, driving on the first lane of a two-lane road. He intended to make a right turn onto the main road.

At the same time, the victim was riding a power-assisted bicycle on the second lane of the two-lane road, from Adham's right side to his left.

According to court documents, the victim's wife believed her husband was either on his way home or going to buy dinner for their son.

As Adham drove his van forward and out onto Jurong West Avenue 1, he collided with the victim in the yellow box in front of the car park exit.

The victim fell onto the road and Adham immediately alighted from the van to check on the victim, who was breathing but unresponsive.

He then moved his van away from the main road of Jurong West Avenue 1 after a passerby told him it was obstructing traffic.

A member of the public called the police to report the accident at about 7pm.

Police officers on the scene observed that there was no in-vehicle camera in the van. There was also no Land Transport Authority or closed-circuit television camera near the accident site.

The victim was taken to the hospital and admitted while comatose. A scan showed that he had head injuries and he underwent emergency surgical procedures.

His condition did not improve and he died on Feb 20, 2020. An autopsy confirmed that the cause of death was a head injury.

NO MECHANICAL FAULTS

A mechanical inspection of the van in June 2020 showed that its engine, transmission, steering and braking systems as well as tyres were all in serviceable condition.

The e-bicycle's tyres, steering and rear braking systems were found to be in serviceable condition during a mechanical inspection in August 2020. Its front braking system was found not to be in a serviceable condition, said court documents.

The conclusion from the mechanical inspection reports was that there were no mechanical faults to the van and the e-bicycle that could have led to the accident, court documents added.

PROSECUTION AND DEFENCE'S ARGUMENTS

Deputy Public Prosecutor Benjamin Samynathan asked for one to three months' jail and the mandatory minimum driving ban of eight years to be imposed.

He argued that Adham was careless and failed to keep a proper lookout while moving into the yellow box.

"He should have done so, as he would then have seen the victim cycling from the accused’s right to his left," said the prosecutor.

Mr Samynathan also highlighted that Adham was driving a larger vehicle, and that he should have exercised greater care near residential areas like the car park.

Defence lawyer Ramesh Tiwary argued that his client suffered a "momentary lapse of judgment" and had immediately stopped to help the victim after the collision.

Other mitigating factors were Adham's relatively young age of 22 at the time of the accident, and his cooperation with authorities.

The penalty for causing death to another person by driving without due care and attention is jail for up to three years, a fine of up to S$10,000 or both, for a first-time offender.