Driver injures 12 people after hitting lorry carrying migrant workers on KPE, sentenced to jail
A driver who sped at up to 160km/h on the Kallang–Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) has been sentenced to jail after crashing into a lorry carrying migrant workers, leaving nine with severe injuries and three others hurt.
The man pleaded guilty in court on 22 Dec to dangerous driving causing grievous hurt.
Source: Telegram
Lorry carrying migrant workers flips on KPE after crash
According to Channel NewsAsia (CNA), the incident occurred at about 7.45am on 19 July 2023.
The driver, 33-year-old Tan Wei Feng, was travelling on the KPE in clear weather when he swerved from the third lane to the first lane at high speed.
After overtaking a motorcyclist, he drove between the first and second lanes before crashing into the right rear of a lorry travelling in the first lane.
The lorry spun from the impact, hit the road barriers at the side of the KPE, and subsequently flipped onto its side.
Source: @mdasad6684 on TikTok
Tan was found to be driving at speeds between 130km/h and 160km/h, far exceeding the expressway’s speed limit of 80km/h.
Migrant workers suffer skull and spinal fractures
At the time of the crash, the lorry was carrying migrant workers at the rear. Some were thrown out upon impact.
Nine migrant workers suffered severe injuries, including skull, rib, and spinal fractures, as well as brain haemorrhages. Four of them required surgery.
Source: @mdasad6684 on TikTok
A witness to the accident reported seeing workers seated by the road barrier with “bandages and bloodied shirts”.
Source: TikTok
The injured workers received 12 to 59 days of hospitalisation leave after being warded for up to nine days.
In addition, the lorry driver, the migrant worker in the front passenger seat, and a passenger in Tan’s car suffered injuries such as bruises and a sprained neck.
Tan’s rented car was damaged beyond repair, with losses estimated at S$8,000.
Meanwhile, the damages for the lorry totalled over S$36,000.
Source: Telegram
His lawyer stated that Tan was unable to financially compensate those affected in the crash.
Defendant banned from driving for 8 years alongside jail time
Tan pleaded guilty to one charge of dangerous driving causing grievous hurt yesterday (22 Dec).
In court, the prosecution emphasised Tan’s excessive speeds and the 12 injured victims.
She thus requested 26 to 30 months of jail time, as well as an eight-year driving ban for the defendant.
Tan’s lawyer highlighted that he was not sleep-deprived or under the influence of substances during the accident.
The defence sought 26 months in jail and an eight-year driving ban, stating that Tan could be rehabilitated.
Ultimately, the judge sentenced Tan to 27 months in jail and a driving ban of eight years.
Also read: 11 People Conveyed To Hospital After KPE Accident, Lorry Ferrying Workers Reportedly Toppled Over
11 People Conveyed To Hospital After KPE Accident, Lorry Ferrying Workers Reportedly Toppled Over
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Featured image adapted from Telegram.
