Chef admits hit-and-run

[General Veers]

ST did not reveal the nationality or photo of the offender. Name tells me he is a PRC.

Singapore
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Dec 21, 2009

Chef admits hit-and-run

<!-- by line --> By Elena Chong
<!-- end by line -->
<!-- end left side bar --> <!-- story content : start --> A HIT-AND-RUN driver who had no licence to drive had been drinking with his friends at three locations before hurtling down Little India where he caused the death of a pedestrian. About three weeks before the June 20 accident, Chen Dewan, 24, a chef, had made a false report that he had lost his driving licence. Then on June 5, he deceived a sales executive at S&L Car Rental in Hillview Avenue into believing that his cheque of $3,200 to pay for the rental of a Toyota Corolla Altis car would be honoured. The $43,000 car was released to him after Chen showed the staff a police report that he had lost his driving licence. But the cheque was dishonoured. Chen then made several promises to pay for the car rental in cash but failed to turn up. On June 19, he went pub-hopping with three friends and left Siam Bangkok Thai Disco at around 6am. Chen was speeding along Serangoon Road at 90 to 100kmh when he hit 56-year-old Asotharman Kunopuram Velayuthan Bhanu while overtaking a lorry. He fled the scene, abandoned the car at Boon Keng Road and surrendered to the police 45 hours later. On Monday, he pleaded guilty to eight of 10 charges. Deputy Public Prosecutor Ang Feng Qian asked the court to impose corrective training or alternatively, a stiff jail sentence. District Judge Lee Poh Choo called for pre-sentence and corrective training reports on Jan 11.

 

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Jan 11, 2010
Jail, ban for hit-and-run man
By Elena Chong, Courts Correspondent

A MAN who was involved in a hit-and-run fatal accident last June was jailed for 51 months and banned from driving for 10 years on Monday.
Chen Dewen, 24, a chef, had earlier admitted to causing the death of Mr Asotharman Kunopuram Velayuthan Bhanu, 56, by doing a rash act along Upper Serangoon Road on June 20 last year.
He also admitted to seven other charges including driving without a valid licence and insurance coverage; failing to stop after an accident and render assistance; and removing his car without police authority.
He lied to the police in May that he had lost his driving licence, and cheated a car rental company by issuing a dud cheque to pay for the rental in June.
On June 19, he went pubbing with friends and was taking them home in the early hours when he crashed into the victim while overtaking a slow-moving lorry.
He could have been jailed for up to 10 years and fined for the most serious offence of cheating.

 

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</td><td colspan="2" valign="top" width="784">Illegal driver sentenced to 51 months in jail for 10 offences
By Leong Wee Keat, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 11 January 2010 2231 hrs


SINGAPORE: A man has been sentenced to 51 months in jail and banned from driving for 10 years after being charged with 10 offences ranging from making a false police report to involvement in a hit-and-run case that left a pedestrian dead.

In May last year, 24-year-old Chen Dewen had reported to the police that his driving licence was lost even though he did not have one.

He made the report because he wanted to rent and drive a car.

However, Chen's offence of making a false police report did not end there.

Less than a month after the incident, Chen cheated a car rental company with a fake S$3,200 cheque for the rental payment of a Toyota Altis.

Days later, he hit and killed a pedestrian while driving that rental car along Serangoon Road.

Chen did not stop, and fled from the accident scene even though a friend in the front passenger seat had told him to.

Instead, he yelled that he did not see the victim, and that he needed time to think.

Chen then stopped and abandoned the car at Boon Keng Road.

About 45 hours after the accident, the 24-year-old surrendered himself to the police.

Deputy public prosecutor Ang Feng Qian asked the court to impose a stiff sentence on Chen.

She said the 24-year-old had an "attitude problem" and "seemed to do things for the sake of enjoyment".

Chen, who was not represented by a lawyer, vowed to mend his ways when he is released from prison.

- CNA/yb


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