Driver in Tampines chain collision that killed 2 gets over 12 years' jail, banned from driving for life

SINGAPORE: A driver who ran a red light at high speed and caused a deadly chain collision in Tampines that killed two people was sentenced to 12 years and nine months' jail and banned from driving for life on Monday (Oct 5).

This is one of the longest sentences over a fatal traffic incident in recent history, with the next-closest being 11 years for a man who drove drunk into a retiree, severing his body.

Muhammad Syafie Ismail, a 45-year-old Singaporean, had dashed into a junction at between 129kmh to 134kmh even though the light had been red for at least 26 seconds.

The resulting chain collision killed a 17-year-old student and a 57-year-old woman, grievously injured three victims and hurt another five, including children.

The incident left lasting marks on the lives of the victims and their families, with the student's mother developing depression.

Repairs for a damaged lamppost and green railing cost about S$1,317. The "severe damage" to five vehicles has not been quantified as the victims are separately pursuing insurance claims against Syafie, the prosecutor previously said.

Syafie had pleaded guilty to three charges for dangerous driving causing death, causing grievous hurt and causing hurt. Other charges were considered in sentencing.

The prosecution had sought a jail term of 12 years and nine months to 13-and-a-half years, the latter of which is the maximum jail term possible for the charges in this case, after factoring in a 10 per cent discount for the guilty plea.

Both the prosecutor and the defence sought a lifetime driving ban for Syafie, who had sped along Bedok Reservoir Road after angrily overtaking a car on Apr 22, 2024.

He had been in the area during peak hours to drop off a GrabHitch passenger.

After the dangerous overtaking manoeuvre, he swerved in and out of lanes along Bedok Reservoir Road, narrowly missing a motorcyclist and side-swiping the vehicle he had overtaken.

He came to the cross junction of Bedok Reservoir Road, Tampines Avenue 1 and Tampines Avenue 4 at about 7am and barrelled into three vehicles, which then spun and hit another two.

Defence lawyer Kalaithasan Karuppaya sought between seven-and-a-half and eight years' jail. He said the accident was an "unusual and exceptional one" arising from circumstances and a sequence of events that were both "extraordinary and unforeseen".

He said Syafie, who was "ridden with guilt", supports his parents and children on top of paying maintenance to his ex-wife.

He had also served as a "dedicated Quranic teacher" with the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) after qualifying in 2019, but was suspended from teaching in late 2024 because of the court case, the lawyer said.

In a letter tendered to court, Syafie said he was deeply sorry for the pain, grief and loss the "tragedy has brought upon" the victims and their families.

He said the tragedy had changed his life forever and that he was committed to "carrying the lessons of this tragedy" for the rest of his life, and to living with greater care, responsibility and respect for the safety of others.

For dangerous driving causing death, Syafie could have been jailed for between two and eight years and banned from driving for up to 10 years.

For dangerous driving causing grievous hurt, he could have been jailed between one year and five years and banned from driving for up to eight years.

For dangerous driving causing hurt, he could have been jailed for up to two years or fined up to S$10,000, or both.