Family of cyclist killed by e-scooter rider calls 12-week jail sentence ‘too lenient’

SINGAPORE — The family of a 64-year-old woman, who died almost two years ago after an electric-scooter rider crashed into her, told TODAY that they were “really disappointed and saddened” by a district court’s sentence handed down on Thursday (May 20).

Ong Bee Eng, a grandmother of three, was killed in September 2019 when Hung Kee Boon barrelled into her while speeding on his overweight personal mobility device (PMD).

Hung, now 22, was jailed for 12 weeks on Thursday after pleading guilty to causing Ong’s death by a rash act and riding a non-compliant PMD on a shared cycling path. It was the first death here arising from a collision with a PMD user.

The prosecution had sought a sentence of three months — in line with the sentence given.

Ong’s niece, Ms Eileen Sim, 30, said that the family was disappointed with the sentence meted out because it was “too lenient”, adding that “one life lost is one too many”.

“It is merely 12 weeks of jail time as punishment for the accused but for us, we lost our beloved family member forever,” she told TODAY on behalf of Ong’s daughter, Ms Kelly Ng.

Ms Sim added: “While it has been close to two years since the accident and the death of my aunt, our family is still coping with the loss… (We) do not rule out the possibility of taking civil action against the PMD rider and we are currently still in discussion.”

Both Ms Sim and Ms Ng declined to reveal their occupations.

Ong, who was widowed and worked as a logistics assistant, is survived by two children and three grandchildren. She was also the oldest among her four siblings, with more than 100 friends and family visiting her in Changi General Hospital when she was in critical condition.

On the evening of the accident, she had been cycling near a coffee shop at Block 539 Bedok North Street 3 after buying some drinks for her family at a nearby supermarket.

At the same time, Hung was riding along a cycling path beside the block. When Ong entered the path, Hung could not stop in time and collided with her, flinging her off her bicycle.

A Health Sciences Authority analysis after the accident showed that he was travelling between 27km/h and 43km/h before the crash. Ong was cycling at 6km/h to 10km/h.

Under Land Transport Authority (LTA) regulations, the maximum speed on public paths is 25km/h and PMDs cannot exceed 70cm in width.

Hung’s e-scooter weighed 44.2kg — more than double the maximum weight of 20kg set by LTA— and its handlebars measured 72.5cm across. Its maximum speed, as specified by the manufacturer, was 75km/h to 80km/h.

Members of the public who rushed to Ong’s aid found her unconscious and bleeding from the head. Hung was also hurt but was conscious.

Ong sustained a severe traumatic brain injury and multiple fractures. She never regained consciousness and succumbed to her injuries in hospital four days after the accident.

For causing death by a rash act, Hung could have been jailed for up to five years or fined, or punished with both.