3 drivers charged with culpable homicide over fatal accidents involving cyclist & motorcyclist
Three men were charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder after their alleged involvement in two separate fatal accidents that led to the deaths of a cyclist and a motorcyclist.
The trio, aged between 33 and 35, were charged in court on Tuesday (28 Oct), said the Singapore Police Force (SPF) in a news release the day before.
Driver had allegedly drunk alcohol & fled scene after hitting cyclist
In the first case, the police were alerted to the accident along Nicoll Highway in the direction of Guillemard Road at 5am on 19 Dec 2023.
Police investigations revealed that a 35-year-old driver — who had allegedly consumed alcohol — drove against the flow of traffic and hit a 45-year-old male cyclist.
He then fled the scene without seeking assistance.
The driver was identified as Tan Yong Ren by Channel NewsAsia (CNA).
Deceased cyclist left behind wife & 2 daughters
The cyclist died after officers conveyed him to the hospital in an unconscious state.
Source: Singapore Police Force
The deceased was a British national named Basra Rajan Singh, according to CNA.
According to his LinkedIn profile, he was the head of Cost Optimization and Cloud FinOps for Enterprise Technology at Standard Chartered Bank.
His colleague posted on the social media platform that Mr Singh had joined the bank seven years before his death and took on a new role earlier that year.
He left behind a wife and two daughters.
Source: Eternal Glory Bereavement Services on Facebook
Driver’s charge upgraded to culpable homicide
Tan was identified and arrested within 16 hours of the fatal accident.
His driver’s licence was immediately suspended.
Initially, Tan faced charges for dangerous driving causing death, SPF said.
But after a review, his charge was upgraded to culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
2 drivers allegedly engaged in overtaking manoeuvres on CTE
The other fatal traffic accident occurred at about 1.54am on 14 Jan 2024.
According to investigations, the drivers of two cars, aged 33 and 34, were allegedly engaging in overtaking manoeuvres with each other along the Central Expressway (CTE) in the direction of the Seletar Expressway (SLE).
They were also driving at excessive speeds of around 170kmh and 192kmh respectively — far surpassing the speed limit of 90kmh.
Source: PaintedLens on Canva. Photo for illustration purposes only.
CNA identified them as Cassidy Tan Ting Hwee and Rayson Loo Sian Hao.
Drivers arrested & charged after fatal accident with motorcyclist
The cars were involved in an accident with 31-year-old male motorcyclist Mohammad Oszaimi Osman, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Both drivers were arrested and their licences were suspended immediately.
They will be charged with offences of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under Section 304(b) of the Penal Code 1871.
The authorities also arrested the drivers and suspended their licenses immediately, and charged them with culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Culpable homicide charges unusual for fatal accidents
The offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, which is listed in the Penal Code, carries a jail term of up to 15 years, a fine, caning, or a combination of these punishments.
The charges handed to the three drivers are unusual, as drivers involved in fatal accidents are usually charged with dangerous driving causing death — which carries up to eight years in prison.
SPF said it takes “a serious view” of dangerous driving as such “irresponsible acts” can have “devastating and fatal consequences”, adding:
Motorists who engage in egregious conduct will be held accountable for the consequences of their actions and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
The police also reminded motorists to drive responsibly, observe traffic laws, and prioritise the safety of all road users.
Also read: Driver in fatal Tampines accident charged with dangerous driving causing death & 3 other offences
Driver in fatal Tampines accident charged with dangerous driving causing death & 3 other offences
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Featured image adapted from Singapore Police Force and Eternal Glory Bereavement Services on Facebook.
