A driver involved in a fatal chain collision in Tampines in April 2024 was sentenced to 12 years and nine months in prison on October 5. Muhammad Syafie Ismail, 45, was also banned from driving for life following the crash that claimed two lives and injured eight others, including two 11-year-old boys.
Syafie pleaded guilty in August to three charges related to dangerous driving: causing death, causing grievous hurt, and causing hurt. The crash resulted in the deaths of a 57-year-old woman, Norzihan Juwaibh, and a 17-year-old junior college student whose identity remains protected by a court-imposed gag order. Norzihan, a senior technician at a pest control company, was a passenger in a van on her way to work. The student was travelling as a passenger while her father was driving to her school’s annual cross-country event.
On the morning of April 22, Syafie, who had just completed a night shift as an operations manager at a manufacturing firm, was driving a car that dangerously overtook another vehicle on Bedok Reservoir Road. His vehicle then collided with a car, which nearly struck a motorcyclist. Syafie continued at speeds between 129km/h and 134km/h—more than double the 50km/h speed limit—before running a red light that had been red for at least 26 seconds. He then collided with three other vehicles at a junction, triggering a chain reaction involving five vehicles, including a van. A video posted on social media showed a black sedan speeding past several cars before the crash.
Emergency responders performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Norzihan at the scene, but she later died in hospital from multiple injuries, including fractures to her neck and ribs. The student was trapped under another car after their vehicle flipped over; her father was hospitalized with rib fractures and has since been dealing with the trauma of her death. The prosecutor described the profound impact on the girl's mother, who has since suffered from major depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Eight other people were injured in the crash, with some suffering head injuries and rib fractures. After the collision, Syafie remained in his seat until a bystander assisted him to the roadside. He sustained arm and rib fractures but has no permanent disabilities. He was arrested two days later after being discharged from the hospital, and his driving license was immediately suspended.
During sentencing, Principal District Judge Toh Han Li stated that the imposed jail term was appropriate given the gravity of the offenses. "Two innocent lives were lost, eight others were injured, and families irreversibly affected," the judge said. Family members of both Syafie and the student were present in court.
The prosecution sought a prison term of between 12 years and nine months and 13½ years, emphasizing the severe harm caused by Syafie’s actions. The defense had requested a sentence of seven and a half to eight years, attributing the incident to a lapse in judgment and noting the lasting emotional impact on Syafie.
In Singapore, dangerous driving causing death carries a maximum penalty of eight years’ imprisonment and a driving disqualification. The court’s judgment surpassed this maximum, reflecting the multiple charges and aggravating circumstances of the case.