[News]Regan Lee jailed for crashing test-drive car, killing sales executive

[xtemujin]

Regan Lee jailed for crashing test-drive car, killing sales executive
By Dominique Loh, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 24 October 2007 1829 hrs

SINGAPORE: Regan Lee Da Wen, 26, was initially charged with causing the death of a salesperson while test-driving a Mazda MX-5 sports car. But he has since pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of committing a rash act.

Lee, on Wednesday, was disqualified from driving for 10 years and sentenced to seven months in jail.

The case had dragged on for more than two years amid public outcry over Lee's action.

According to court documents, Lee was driving at a speed of more than 90 kilometres on 29 October 2005 along Upper Paya Lebar Road – nearly twice the legal speed limit for that stretch of road.

It is believed that Lee had lost control of the car while negotiating a bend. Veering to the right, he crossed the centre divider, crashing head-on into an oncoming car.

The impact flipped the Mazda before hitting another vehicle, killing 22-year-old Mazda sales executive Angelia He Xueli. Lee escaped unhurt.

His case was supposed to have gone to trial with the original charge of causing Ms He's death, which carries a heavier penalty. However, the case never went to open court and was adjourned several times.

During that time, it is believed the prosecution and defence teams came to an agreement to an amended lesser charge.


- CNA/so

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/307522/1/.html

 

[baggiolee]

ops....thought he was seen testing new car few mths ago...wat a pity. hav fun in the jail dude!!

 

[nightwolf75]

good lord... only 7mths?

 

[stor]

There is a very serious flaw in our law on traffic offenses on serious injuries and death. Most cases will end up with the driver getting a ban on driving or a few months of jail sentence. This particular case is of no difference again.

Moreover, it takes the legal system 2 years to reach this sentence where the potential maniac can be still on the road for the last two years. On the average, there are 190 deaths and more then 5000 injuries from traffic accidents in Singapore every year and such unsound legal system just make it worst.

I guess the turn around will come only if the love ones of the judges who passed such light sentences suffered the same fate. 7 months for this sucker is far too light and he should be out very soon as he need not to be in for a full 7 month. Something need to be done to address such unsound judgement. :angry:

 

[subxero]

At least the road is going to be much safer for another 10 years without him behind the steering wheel..

 

[stor]

What makes you think that those who got their license suspended are really off the road?:think: The only way to get them off the road totally is to be in jail.

At least the road is going to be much safer for another 10 years without him behind the steering wheel..

 

[sammy888]

At least the road is going to be much safer for another 10 years without him behind the steering wheel..

Yup..one gone ....just a few more tens of hundreds to go. He is not the only one around. He just got caught more red handed then the others....

Great isn't it...a life at it's prime is only worth 7 months.

 

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

Yup..one gone ....just a few more tens of hundreds to go. He is not the only one around. He just got caught more red handed then the others....

Great isn't it...a life at it's prime is only worth 7 months.

main reason...

During that time, it is believed the prosecution and defence teams came to an agreement to an amended lesser charge.

not the law got problem... but money talks... how the hell did prosecution and defence come to term with such, 1 dead is worth 7 month of his time... probably his daily income is the girl's monthly income.

 

[airforce1]

plea bargaining power.

 

[baggiolee]

sooner or later he get his share on the road..

 

[sigg]

7 months?...life is so cheap nowadays...........

 

[compro_1975]

a life for a life is all i can say

 

[advrider]

a life for a life is all i can say

DragonTooth?!:devil:

 

[mohgui]

7 months only? that's so charity!!! has he got any connections?

7 months in jail can never bring her back or even make up to the loss of the family.

driving ban for 10 years? nothing lah. can still drive... just don't kena caught.

 

[Redsun]

7 months only???
should have been 7 years!
what kind of jail sentence is 7 months?
he caused the death of a person for gawd's sake!

 

[xtemujin]

Officially it's 7 months but he'll be out in 3-5 months time for good behaviour.

 

[hacknet]

well, 7 months might be short but all laws were set with specific intensions in mind, i believe this one was to rehabilitate and to deter unlike a lifetime sentence that would aim more to remove a dangerous person from society. c'mon, accidents happen, its time we moved on too.

 

[stor]

Yes, accident do happened and nobody wanted to make it happen. However, many accidents can be avoided if the driver are more careful and considerate. With more then 190 cases of road accident death a year, this should not be the way our law responsible to these bad eggs on the roads.

C'mon......if the dead person is your love ones or your family member, I believed you will not sleep properly after such sentence pass to the bad eggs.........neither will you advice people to move on.:think:

We have seen so many reports on road death and what happened to those who are affected by the passing of the victim. There is something seriously wrong on the penalty given to these bad eggs. It is just sending a wrong message to those hundreds of potential killers out there everyday.

well, 7 months might be short but all laws were set with specific intensions in mind, i believe this one was to rehabilitate and to deter unlike a lifetime sentence that would aim more to remove a dangerous person from society. c'mon, accidents happen, its time we moved on too.

 

[sbs99]

the thing is that this fellow caused accident liao, still yaya go look for a new car. He has no remorse. I hope he kena torture in jail, and then when out, probably kena ah bengs "see one time, beat up one time"....he too arrogant already, caused loss of life, total disregard. :thumbsd:

the sentence passed is too light on him. :bheart:

 

[ricohflex]

the worst driver is not a woman driver.
it is a kiddo male trying too hard to impress the lady next to him but unaware of his lousy driving skills.