Traffic Police investigators follow up on the trail of a fatal accident at dawn.
By: Edwin Lim
A hit-and-run accident killed a 70-year-old man and left behind nothing but a few broken vehicle fragments at the scene. Read on to find out how officers from the Traffic Police (TP) brought the perpetrator to justice within 24 hours of the reported accident.
Hello, Police?
Just slightly after 6am in the morning of 21 February 2019, the Police responded to a call of an accident involving a motorcyclist along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 towards the direction of Upper Thomson Road.
TP first responders arrived at the scene to find an elderly rider lying motionless on the road, with debris and newspapers strewn across the road near the motorcycle. The 70-year-old elderly rider was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. He was working as a newspaper deliveryman.
A witness had informed Police that he heard a collision at about 5:50am and saw a small lorry moving towards the direction of Upper Thomson Road. He also observed many copies of newspapers falling onto the road behind the lorry.
Armed with the account from the witness, TP investigators swung into action and commenced investigations into the accident.
Putting the Pieces Together
Through video footage retrieved from traffic cameras in the vicinity and in-vehicle camera footage provided by motorists travelling along that road around the time of the accident, investigators were able to piece together the video footage to determine the sequence of events that led to the accident.
The footage revealed that a lorry was travelling along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 at a fast speed. As the lorry was approaching the victim’s motorcycle, it failed to slow down and struck the rear of his motorcycle. The impact flung the rider off his motorcycle and on to the road. Sparks could be seen as the motorcycle skidded across the road surface before coming to a stop some distance away.
After the collision, the lorry driver did not stop to render assistance and sped away from the scene immediately.
Caught
The investigators were even more determined to find the lorry driver. The driver was identified as 28-year-old Muhammad Amin Bin Mohamed Noor, a food wholesaler delivery driver. He was arrested. Investigators were also able to locate the lorry at a workshop shortly after.
Under the Road Traffic Act (2020), road users have a duty to stop in case of an accident. Where an accident occurs owing to the presence of a motor vehicle on a road and the accident results in damage or injury to any person, vehicle or structure, the driver of the motor vehicle must stop the motor vehicle and render assistance, and take reasonable steps to inform the relevant authorities.
Justice is Served
Amin revealed to the investigators that he had several drinks before getting behind the wheel of the lorry on the night of the accident. He also admitted to not rendering assistance to the deceased after the accident as he knew that he was in trouble. Amin then lied to his employer that the lorry had hit a lamp post and was directed to seek repairs at their company’s designated workshop.
On 7 Aug 2020, Muhammad Amin Bin Mohamed Noor was found guilty of Causing Death by Rash Act and Obstructing the Course of Justice. He was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment and disqualified from driving from all classes of vehicles for 10 years.
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