Senior Magistrate Hajah Ervy Sufitriana binti Haji Abdul Rahman yesterday sentenced a Filipino to three months’ and two weeks’ jail for dangerous driving causing death.
Elmer Endaya Passion, 47, hired lawyer Ahmad Basuni Abbas before pleading guilty to the charge. Prosecutor Ahmad Firdaus bin Mohammad revealed in court that the defendant was driving from Pekan Tutong towards Kampong Tanjong Maya on April 24, 2019 afternoon.
He was looking for the address of a car sports rims seller. Along the way, he stopped at a convenience shop to answer his employer’s phone call. He was told to pick up his boss’ children from school.
Initially, the defendant intended to use Jalan Tanjong Maya and exit towards Jalan Lamunin to return to Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB) and felt that it was a longer route.
The defendant then decided that he needed to make a U-turn to go back onto the main Tutong-BSB highway to return home on time to fetch the children.
At about 1.30pm, the defendant drove into a side junction, Simpang 359, where he attempted to make a U-turn, which was not a designated place for the purpose.
As the defendant was turning, an oncoming car suddenly came crashing into the front of his car.
Police investigations revealed that the other driver was on his way to send his son to school when his car collided into the defendant’s, losing control and crashed into a lamp post.
This led to the victim’s son’s death, while the victim himself lost consciousness and sustained injuries. – Fadley Faisal
