SINGAPORE, Oct 31 — A 49-year-old man was sentenced to two months in jail after knocking down a 70-year-old pedestrian with his bicycle, leading to the victim's death.
Lu Su Min Lester was found guilty of causing the death of Soon Say Beng by a rash act not amounting to culpable homicide, CNA reported.
The incident took place on March 6 last year when Lu was cycling to meet a friend at a petrol kiosk. While riding along Upper Bukit Timah Road at around 6.30am, Lu ran a red light and struck Soon, who was crossing the junction legally with the pedestrian light green.
The impact knocked Soon unconscious, and he was later pronounced dead.
According to CNA, the prosecutor sought a jail term of two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half months, emphasising that Lu had deliberately chosen to ignore the red light.
In defence, Lu’s lawyer, Bestlyn Loo, stated that her client had sold his bicycle and ceased cycling altogether, arguing that he would not reoffend.
District Judge John Ng questioned if Lu still intended to drive, noting he would still use the roads despite giving up cycling.
Lu’s lawyer emphasised his remorse and exemplary public service career, to which the judge replied that most traffic offenders had “exemplary lives” and that accidents were not intentional, adding that it was a sad situation for the victim’s family.
Judge Ng also pointed out that although Lu faced up to five years in prison for his rash act, he decided on a sentence of two months.
