A jet lagged driver whose car mounted a pavement and hit four pedestrians, causing the death of one and injuring two others, was jailed for a month yesterday.
Engineer Singarayar Cleetruse Geethan, 32, was driving home from work at about 5:45pm on 20th June last year when his car mounted a pavement along Woodlands Drive 14 and killed 64-year old Mdm Gwee Ham Siau.
The Sri Lankan national, a Permanent Resident, had admitted to driving negligently and causing the death of Mdm Gwee and injuring her daughter-in-law, Ms Hasmidah Ho Bee Keng, as well as grandson Oh Wei Jie.
Mdm Gwee suffered head and chest injuries, and died in Khoo Teck Puat Hospital two hours later. Ms Ho, 34, suffered a fractured right foot, while the boy, seven, fractured his left leg.
His lawyer, Mr Louis Joseph, pleading for a light sentence, said that Geethan had just returned from Sri Lanka and his flight had landed at 5:30am that day. He added that his client was suffering from fatigue and jet lag and probably dozed off while driving.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Navindraram Naidu had argued for a jail term of four to six weeks. Agreeing, District Judge Tan Boon Heng said Geethan had caused the death of an innocent victim and injured two others.
He could have been jailed for up to two years, fined up to $10,000 or both for causing death by driving negligently.
