Project director fined for fatally knocking down man, 80, in Sengkang

A project director was fined $8,000 and banned from driving for five years on Tuesday, for causing the death of an elderly pedestrian in Sengkang.

Koh Chun Hieng, 38, had admitted to causing the death of Mr Chng Kok Poh through negligence, when he failed to keep a proper lookout and hit the 80-year-old along the pedestrian crossing at Rivervale Crescent on Dec23, 2012.

He also admitted to moving his Mercedes-Benz car from the accident scene without lawful authority, and was given the maximum fine of $1,000 by District Judge Siva Shanmugam.

The court heard that Koh was driving along Rivervale Crescent at about 6.40am that day when he saw a silver car from the opposite direction upon entering the signalised cross-junction of Rivervale Crescent and Rivervale Drive.

That car was trying to make a right turn or U-turn.

Koh kept his attention on the silver car and did not notice Mr Chng crossing the road near the front of his car in time. When he did, he immediately braked and swerved his car to the right, but it was too late and the car hit Mr Chng.

Koh got down and rushed to help the victim, who was bleeding from the head and still conscious. He called for an ambulance and helped the paramedic lift Mr Chng into the ambulance. The elderly man died that afternoon at Changi General Hospital.

After the ambulance left the scene, Koh remained for about five minutes before driving off to a nearby multi-storey carpark. He parked his car there and took a taxi home.

Police later contacted him and asked him to return to the scene, which he did at about 8am.

Koh, represented by Mr R. Thrumurgan and Mr Emmanuel Lee, could have been jailed for up to two years and, or fined for causing death by doing a negligent act.

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