A lorry driver has been jailed for four weeks and banned from driving for five years for causing the death of his friend. 39-year old Ng Cheong Lee crashed into a stationary road roller, and caused the death of his friend, 40-year old Teoh Huat Lee, who sat beside him in the cabin of the lorry.
Ng and Teoh has been close friends since school. During his plead, Ng has told his defence lawyer not to seek a specific length of punishment as a sign of remorse.
The accident took place during the early hours of 18th April last year, when Ng was driving on the Pan Island Expressway (PIE) in the direction of Tuas. He failed to notice that a parked road roller was protruding into his lane and crashed into the machine.
Ng suffered severe injuries, including spinal fractures and a bruised liver, while his friend Teoh died on the spot.
In his argument, Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) Andrew Low pointed out that Ng has two previous convictions of drink driving, and was found with 54mg of alcohol in every 100ml of his blood. Although it is within the legal limit, APP Low asked for a jail term of more than two weeks and disqualification of Ng's driving license.
