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Man gets 3 weeks’ jail, driving ban for causing pedestrian’s death while driving in car park

SINGAPORE — While exiting an open car park with his family in tow, Kasmani Hashim collided into a pedestrian and ran over him.

Kasmani Hashim, 56, was driving his car out of the car park along Stadium Boulevard, next to the Decathlon store in Kallang, when the accident happened.

Kasmani Hashim, 56, was driving his car out of the car park along Stadium Boulevard, next to the Decathlon store in Kallang, when the accident happened.

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SINGAPORE — While driving out of an open car park with his family in tow, Kasmani Hashim collided into a pedestrian and ran over him.

Koh Swee Poh, 46, died from his injuries in Tan Tock Seng Hospital about an hour later. 

Kasmani, who worked as an assistant station manager for SBS Transit at the time of the incident, was sentenced to three weeks’ jail and a five-year driving ban on Tuesday (Feb 25) for his actions.

The 56-year-old pleaded guilty to causing Koh’s death by a negligent act in the wee hours of June 2 last year.

The court heard that at about 1am that day, Kasmani was driving his car out of the car park along Stadium Boulevard, next to the Decathlon store in Kallang. 

According to court documents, there was no traffic flow and visibility was clear in the car park at the time. 

Also, the lights were in working order although the location was found to be relatively dim. 

Kasmani’s family, including his son-in-law and daughter, were in the car. He drove at about 10kmh with his headlights switched on before turning right towards the car park exit.

At this point, he failed to see Koh — dressed in a dark-coloured top and blue jeans — crossing a road within the car park with his back towards Kasmani’s car.

His son-in-law, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, noticed the pedestrian and yelled in Malay: “Someone ahead!” 

But Kasmani could not stop in time and collided into Koh, running over him.

Video footage of the accident from the in-car camera was played in court.

Kasmani got down from his vehicle to check on Koh while his daughter called for an ambulance and checked on the victim’s pulse and breathing. She noticed that he was bleeding from his head.

Koh was taken unconscious to the hospital and pronounced dead at 1.45am.

He was not jaywalking as he was walking within a car park, and he was not using his phone, said the Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Benedict Chan.

DPP Chan sought the sentence imposed, saying that Kasmani was fined in 2013 for making an illegal U-turn and fined again in 2014 for beating a red light.

In mitigation, Kasmani’s lawyer told the court that his client “feels extremely guilty” and wished to visit Koh’s family to apologise “but was rebuffed by the investigation officer”.

District Judge Marvin Bay said the case “illustrates the tragic consequences of inattention while manoeuvring along a car park”.

It appeared that Kasmani thought the possibility of an accident happening was “remote” as he was driving in a car park at low speed, rather than on an open road, the judge noted.

He added: “I note the camera showing the victim coming into view some two seconds before impact. Kasmani’s lack of situational awareness is quite evident by (him) stepping on the accelerator upon impact, and taking some seven seconds to come to a complete stop, despite the frenzied warning of his family members in the car.”

For causing death by a negligent act, Kasmani could have been jailed up to two years, fined or both.

 

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