A 51-year-old taxi driver who was travelling in the wee hours at nearly double the speed limit crashed into an elderly pedestrian and caused her death.

On Tuesday (2 October), Tan Kah Pin was sentenced to 8 weeks’ jail and disqualified from driving for five years after he pleaded guilty to one charge of causing death by a negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide.

Tan was driving at around 91kmh along Orchard Road at about 3.20am on 28 August 2017 with a passenger in his taxi when he crashed into 68-year-old Soh Hong Keng who was then crossing the road.

The accident caused the victim to be flung into the air. She was sent to hospital unresponsive and pronounced dead at about 3.50am.

Two witnesses – the taxi passenger and another motorist – said the accident could have been avoided had Tan driven slower and kept a proper lookout.

The punishment for causing death by a negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide is a jail term of up to two years and/or a fine.