Motorist, 77, fined $7,000 and banned 5 years from driving for causing pedestrian's death

SINGAPORE - A 77-year-old motorist was fined $7,000 and banned from driving for five years on Tuesday for causing the death of a pedestrian through his negligence.

Willie Chan York Jen, a retiree, pleaded guilty to causing the death of Mr Mohamed Ibrahim Yusoff at the signalised cross junction of Lorong 2 and Lorong 6 Toa Payoh on Dec 21 last year.

He failed to keep a proper lookout while proceeding straight across the junction and hit the 75-year-old pedestrian who was crossing at Lorong 6 at 5.45pm that day.

The court heard that Chan was driving his Toyota car and stopped on the second right lane of Lorong 2 due to the red traffic light signal.

When the light turned green, he drove straight across the cross junction towards Lorong 2.

He did not see Mr Ibrahim, who began his crossing when the red-man traffic signal was displayed, thus hitting him.

Mr Ibrahim, who had dementia, suffered head injuries, bleeding from the mouth and became short of breath. He fell unconscious and was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital where he died about four hours later.

Chan, who had called the police after the accident, could have been jailed for up to two years and/or fined for causing death by doing a negligent act.

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