Driver who fled after colliding with motorcycle in fatal BKE accident jailed

SINGAPORE: A driver was speeding at at least 141kmh along an expressway when he side-swiped a motorcycle on the rightmost lane, causing the motorcyclist and his pillion rider to fall. 
Instead of stopping, the driver Pua Yui Loon fled to Johor Bahru where he lived.
The 22-year-old motorcyclist, Joshua Chiam Chee Wai, died at the scene and Pua was arrested the next day when he returned to Singapore.
Pua, a 28-year-old Malaysian, was jailed for three years and 10 months on Tuesday (Sep 10). He was also given a driving ban of 10 years, the mandatory minimum for his charge of dangerous driving while speeding, which he pleaded guilty to.
Another five charges of a similar nature were considered during sentencing. 
The court heard that Pua was a cashier in a lounge bar in Singapore. 
He drove into Singapore on Feb 5, 2024, worked overnight and was invited to drink alcohol.  
After the bar closed in the wee hours of Feb 6, Pua drove a colleague to Paya Lebar before heading home via Woodlands Checkpoint. 
As he drove along Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) towards Woodlands, Pua reached a “high speed” on the rightmost lane. 
He saw Mr Chiam and his girlfriend on a motorcycle in front of him and slowed down slightly.
But as Pua passed the motorcycle on its right, his car hit the right side of the motorcycle, causing it to overturn. Both riders were flung onto the ground. 
Pua sped off. The incident was caught by two in-car cameras of vehicles behind.
Mr Chiam’s girlfriend saw him lying down on the ground and called out to him, but he did not respond and appeared unconscious. She was not able to approach him due to her injuries. 
He was pronounced dead at the scene, while his girlfriend was taken to hospital.  
Meanwhile, Pua drove home to Johor Bahru. 
On Feb 7, he took a private-hire car to the Johor Bahru checkpoint where he took a public bus to enter Singapore. He was detained at the immigration counter and later arrested. 
An autopsy report certified that Mr Chiam’s cause of death was head injuries consistent with a road accident. His girlfriend suffered abrasions and a wound to her elbow. 
A report estimated that Pua was driving at a speed of at least 141kmh on the day of the accident, exceeding the speed limit of 90kmh for that road. 
The motorcycle’s right-side mirror was ripped off and its left mirror missing. Parts of the seat and engine were also ripped off. Its wheels were dented and its fuel tank was scratched and dented. 
Deputy Public Prosecutor Natalie Chu sought four to five years’ jail for Pua, citing the need for general deterrence. 
“There has been an increase in fatal accidents, in particular speeding-related accidents from 2022 to 2023,” said Ms Chu. She added that Pua’s speed had been “extremely high” at 141kmh. 
Upon seeing the motorcycle, Pua should have slowed down or changed lanes, yet he continued to drive on the same lane and squeezed past the motorcycle, said Ms Chu.
She added that Pua’s dangerous driving was deliberate and caused physical and emotional harm to the surviving victim, noting that he had also fled the scene.
Pua’s lawyer, Bryan Lim of HOH Law Corporation, said his client was “extremely remorseful” and wished to apologise to the deceased’s family and the victim. 
“This guilt will stay with him for the rest of his life,” Mr Lim said. 
“He deeply regrets not stopping to render assistance, as he was scared and did not know what to do at that point in time. This is not an excuse, he wishes to state, but he acknowledges this is something he deeply regrets doing and is extremely ashamed.”
The lawyer pointed out, however, that his client had not been changing lanes, weaving in and out of traffic, or had otherwise demonstrated poor control of his car. 
Mr Lim initially sought the minimum jail term of two years, adding that his client had fully cooperated with the authorities. However, District Judge Tan Jen Tse pointed out that there were charges to be taken into consideration. 
“The other point is that the speed is extremely high right? It’s not just mere speeding but it is extremely high, how can this be a minimum sentence case?” asked the judge. 
“The second is the drinking, but we don’t know how much as he left the scene, but aren’t those aggravating factors?”
Mr Lim replied that while Pua had consumed alcohol, there was no evidence to suggest that he had been in a state of intoxication or had poor control of his car. 
The lawyer then sought a jail term of slightly over two years. 
Judge Tan said that the predominant sentencing consideration in Pua’s case was deterrence. 
“In this case, I note that you were driving at an extremely high speed and this is a severely aggravating factor,” he said.
“(Another) point is that you consumed alcohol though no alcohol level could be established as you fled the scene.”
Pua’s charge of driving in a dangerous manner and in excess of the speed limit carries a jail term of between two and eight years, and a mandatory driving ban of at least 10 years.