2 pedestrians seriously injured after hit-and-run accident in Geylang, 21-year-old driver arrested

Sarah Koh
The Straits Times
Mar 24, 2024

Police have arrested the 21-year-old driver of a car involved in a hit-and-run accident in the Geylang area late on March 23.

Two pedestrians suffered serious injuries due to the accident, they added, without elaborating further.

Early in the morning of March 25, the police said: “The driver did not stop to render assistance to the injured and allegedly fled the scene after the accident.”

A video recording of the accident, posted on Facebook group SG Road Vigilante, shows the car moving along a road with rows of shophouses on either side, when it rams into two pedestrians who are crossing the road.

The two pedestrians are flung into the air upon impact before hitting the ground, with one of them seen lying motionless in the middle of the road. The footage – captured by another car’s dashboard camera – shows the car slowing down a little, before driving off.

The police earlier said they were alerted to the accident in Sims Avenue towards Sims Avenue East, near Geylang Lorong 19, at around 11.40pm on March 23.

A 51-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman were conscious when taken to hospital, said the police.

Both the victims were taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, said the Singapore Civil Defence Force.

The driver will be charged in court for driving without due care causing grievous hurt, driving without a valid driving licence and insurance coverage, and taking a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent.

If he is found guilty of driving without due care causing grievous hurt, he could be jailed for up to two years, fined up to $5,000, or both. If convicted of driving without a valid licence, he can be fined up to $10,000, jailed up to three years, or both.

The 21-year-old will also be charged in court with failing to stop after an accident, failing to provide assistance to the injured, and moving the vehicle without a police officer’s authority.

The police urged all motorists to follow traffic rules to keep the roads safe for everyone.

“Motorists who are involved in accidents should stop and render assistance, such as calling for an ambulance to provide medical attention to the injured,” said the police.

“It is an offence to leave an accident scene without rendering assistance.”

For failing to stop after an accident and to provide assistance to the injured, one can be fined up to $1,000, jailed up to three months, or both.