Singapore driver jailed 12 years nine months over 2024 Tampines crash that killed two

Muhammad Syafie Ismail kept his head down in the dock during sentencing and did not respond when asked outside the State Courts if he had anything to say to the victims’ families. — AFP pic

By Malay Mail

First Published: Monday, 05 Oct 2026 1:40 PM MYT

Last Modified: Monday, 05 Oct 2026 1:41 PM MYT

SINGAPORE, Oct 5 — The driver responsible for a fatal chain collision in Tampines last year that killed two people was sentenced to 12 years and nine months’ jail today and banned from driving for life.

Muhammad Syafie Ismail, 45, had pleaded guilty in August to three charges of dangerous driving causing death, dangerous driving causing grievous hurt and dangerous driving causing hurt, The Straits Times reported. 

His actions also injured eight others, including two 11-year-old boys.

According to the English daily Principal District Judge Toh Han Li said the sentence was commensurate with Syafie’s offences and was not crushing on him.

“As a result of what he did, two innocent lives were lost, eight others were injured, and families were irreversibly affected,” the judge was quoted as saying. 

The crash occurred on April 22, 2024, after Syafie had finished a night shift as an operations manager at a global manufacturing firm and dropped off a GrabHitch passenger in Bedok at about 6.15am.

He dangerously overtook a car along Bedok Reservoir Road before his vehicle collided with another car. He then drove towards a junction at between 129kmh and 134kmh, despite the 50kmh speed limit.

Syafie ran a red light that had been red for at least 26 seconds before ramming into three vehicles, triggering a chain collision involving five other vehicles, The Straits Times reported 

The crash killed 57-year-old Norzihan Juwahib, who was a passenger in a van on her way to work, and a 17-year-old junior college student who was on her way to take part in her school’s annual cross-country event.

The student’s father was driving when the collision caused their car to overturn.

According to the report, she became trapped under another car and died from her injuries, while her father suffered rib fractures and was given 191 days of hospitalisation leave.

The prosecution said the student’s mother had struggled with major depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder following her daughter’s death, while her father blamed himself daily for what happened.

Syafie was arrested two days after the crash after being discharged from hospital.

His driving licence was immediately suspended.

He kept his head down in the dock during sentencing and did not respond when asked outside the State Courts if he had anything to say to the victims’ families.