SINGAPORE — A tipper truck driver was handed an eight-month jail term and disqualified from driving for seven years today, for causing the death of a cyclist by dangerous driving and fleeing the scene.

61-year-old Tay Peng Chay had turned left at a T-junction at Choa Chu Kang Avenue 3 in May 2013 shortly after noon. Failing to obey the right turning directional sign, he hit 57-year-old Selamat Mokthiri, who was cycling at the pedestrian crossing.

Tay admitted to four other traffic-related charges, namely: failing to stop his truck after the fatal accident, failing to render assistance, removing the bicycle from under the truck and driving the truck away from the accident scene.

The prosecution proceeded on two of the five charges.

In the written mitigation, his defence lawyer Joanna Goh said Tay had been unwell on the day of the incident. He had told his supervisor about it but was instructed to deliver sand to Choa Chu Kang, even though he was not familiar with the route.

At the T-junction of Brickland Road and Choa Chu Kang Avenue 3, Tay went to the right-turn only lane but realised he took the wrong route and made an illegal left turn instead, causing the accident.

However, prosecutor Benny Tan argued that Tay’s actions resulted in the loss of an innocent life. He added that the prosecution had not heard of any reason as to why Tay removed the bicycle from under the truck after the accident.

The maximum penalty for causing death by dangerous driving is a jail term of five years.