SINGAPORE – A man who was fined in 2005 for drink driving was sentenced to three years and eight months’ jail on Thursday after he reoffended in 2020, causing a fatal accident this time round.
Ang Hiap Boon, 51, was also fined $16,000 and disqualified from holding or obtaining all classes of driving licences for 17 years from his date of release.
In June, he pleaded guilty to offences that include driving without due care and attention, causing the death of Mr Syed Kaleemullah Syed Erufanulla, 56.
Ang, who was vice-president of operations of a company and a director in his own consulting company, is considered a serious repeat offender.
His case is believed to be the first case of its kind since traffic laws were enhanced in 2019.
The court heard that in earlier proceedings, Ang was fined and disqualified from driving for 16 months in 2005 for drink driving.
He also has a long list of past traffic violations, including several instances of speeding and failing to conform to red light signals.
Ang did not learn his lesson, and on the night of Oct 26, 2020, he had wine during dinner at a restaurant in Syed Alwi Road, near Little India, before driving his wife’s white BMW.
He was travelling along Jalan Besar Road when he made a left turn into Ophir Road, where a slip road leads to the East Coast Parkway.
The slip road has a speed limit of 50kmh, but Ang was travelling at between 64kmh and 74kmh.
Stopped in the left lane ahead of him was another white BMW that had broken down due to engine issues. Mr Syed, its driver, was outside his car that had its tail lights on.
He was walking from the rear towards the driver’s side of the vehicle when Ang’s car ploughed into him.
The impact flung Mr Syed forward onto the road. He was unconscious when he was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where he died of his injuries.
Footage from Ang’s in-car camera that was played in court in June showed that he did not slow down before the accident occurred.
The footage was so graphic that the judge pre-warned those present, and asked if anyone would like to step out before the video was played.
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After the accident, Ang was found to have 76 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath. This is more than double the prescribed limit of 35mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath.
Those who cause death by driving without due care and attention may be jailed for up to three years, fined up to $10,000, or both.
A serious repeat offender may get an additional jail term of up to four years, and may also face a driving ban.
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