PIE van crash in 2023 kills passenger, 21: S'porean man, 20, handed 4 charges

A 20-year old Singaporean man has been charged over the 2023 traffic accident that killed 21-year-old Michael Ong Wee Siong.

The man, Weaver Chiam Zheng Jie, was 18 at the time.

He had been driving a van along the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) on Dec. 31, 2023, when he lost control of the vehicle and collided with a lorry.

Ong, who was in the passenger seat, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Ong is believed to have booked a ride-hailing service on Telegram carpool group SgHitch.

Such services are unlicensed and illegal in Singapore.

Allegedly no licence

On Sep. 17, Chiam was charged in court for driving without due care and attention, driving without a valid Class 3 licence, and driving without proper insurance coverage.

He also was charged for carrying a passenger in a goods vehicle, which is an offence in Singapore.

Photos shared on Facebook previously showed a black-and-yellow van overturned in the middle of the first and second lanes along the PIE at the Toh Guan Road exit.

Ong's girlfriend, Heather Ng, at the time launched an appeal on social media for witnesses and those with dashcam footage of the incident.

Will return to court soon

Chiam will return to court for his pre-trial conference on Oct. 24.

If convicted of causing death by driving without due care and attention, he could be jailed for up to three years and fined up to S$10,000.

For driving without a valid licence, he could be jailed up to three years, fined up to S$10,000, or both.

For using or permitting another person to use a motor vehicle without adequate insurance against third-party risks, he could be fined up to S$1,000, jailed up to three months, or both.

He could also be disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for life.

Top image from Singapore Road Accident/Facebook