Jail, fine for doc who hurt 2 people by negligent driving

A doctor who failed to give way to a motorcycle while his car was making a turn caused an accident that led to the biker losing three toes. The pillion rider suffered multiple fractures, including on her right shin bone.

After the accident, the doctor, Roger Pang Heng Mun, 76, attended to the victims - Mr Muhammad Zakir Zakaria, 21, and Ms Eisya Nabila Jaini, 22.

Yesterday, Pang was sentenced to four days' jail and fined $5,000 after pleading guilty to causing grievous hurt by negligent driving. He was disqualified from driving all classes of vehicles for 10 years.

He had made a discretionary right turn at a traffic light junction in Bukit Batok East Avenue 6 at about 8pm on Oct 11, 2019, as a motorbike approached from the opposite direction, the court heard.

Despite seeing the motorcycle, Pang "negligently failed to give way", said Deputy Public Prosecutor Goh Yong Ngee.

The two victims were taken to National University Hospital, where Mr Zakir's injured toes were amputated. The biker, who also had a fractured right leg, was discharged on Nov 26 and given 325 days of hospitalisation leave. Ms Eisya had surgery for her injuries and was hospitalised from Oct 12 to 18.

Stressing that the pair suffered serious injuries, DPP Goh urged the court to sentence Pang to 10 days' jail and disqualify him from driving all classes of vehicles for two years. He noted that Pang had rendered assistance to the victims.

Defence lawyer Peggy Sarah Yee pleaded for Pang to be given the maximum fine and a long period of disqualification from driving. She asked for her client to be given two days' jail if the judge were to impose a jail term.

She said Pang was not speeding and did not "beat any light". "He has had an unblemished driving record for 57 years... He has sold his car and he no longer drives."

The court heard that Pang has glaucoma and cataracts - eye-related conditions that could have affected his ability to see objects clearly in his peripheral vision.

District Judge Marvin Bay said: "It is somewhat surprising that he had no insight to the deterioration in his peripheral vision... All in all, the nature of his negligence also lies in his handling of his car in making the turn when there would have been a basis for him to suspect that his own eyesight and, in particular, his ability to rapidly pick up fast-moving objects might be compromised."