Youth charged after he allegedly drove van without licence and caused fatal accident
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Weaver Chiam Zheng Jie, 20, is facing one count each of driving without a licence and causing death by driving without due care and attention.
ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
SINGAPORE – A youth who allegedly drove a van, although he did not have a licence to do so, and caused an accident that killed his front-seat passenger was charged in court on Sept 17.
Weaver Chiam Zheng Jie, 20, is facing one count each of driving without a licence and causing the death of Mr Michael Ong Wee Siong, 21, by driving without due care and attention.
Chiam, then 18, was driving the van along the PIE towards Tuas shortly before 7.40am on Dec 31, 2023, when he allegedly failed to maintain proper control of the vehicle, which collided with a lorry.
During an earlier coroner’s inquiry, the court heard that the van flipped, and Mr Ong died from a neck injury following the crash.
It was also revealed during the inquiry that Chiam had purportedly offered carpooling services via a Telegram group chat.
In February, State Coroner Adam Nakhoda warned people against the use of such services, saying that they should instead use private-hire vehicles, taxis or public transport.
On March 6, then Senior Minister of State for Transport Amy Khor said in Parliament that the public should not seek rides through informal channels, such as Telegram.
Unlike illegal carpooling services, licensed platforms can protect passengers’ safety and offer them some safeguards, she added.
Dr Khor, who has since retired from politics, also said these platforms have the driver’s details and can check on the validity of the driving licence.
In 2019, a man used carpooling chat groups on Telegram to dupe women into believing that he would take them to their destinations. Instead, he drove them to secluded places and molested them.
He was sentenced to five years and 10 months’ jail and six strokes of the cane for molestation.
For the current case, Chiam’s pre-trial conference will take place on Oct 24.
If convicted of causing a death by driving without due care and attention, a first-time offender can be jailed for up to three years and fined up to $10,000. A repeat offender can be jailed for up to six years and fined up to $20,000.
