A 93-year-old man died in June 2025 after spending 1.5 years in a vegetative state following a traffic accident in Yishun.
The elderly victim, Tan Mieang Hoon, was struck by a car while riding his personal mobility aid (PMA) on 19 Jan 2024.
The car driver, 57-year-old Leck Hang Wei, was sentenced to six months in prison on 4 Aug 2025. His driving licence was suspended for five years.
Elderly Man Hit While Crossing Junction on Personal Mobility Device
Tan lived with his wife and a female tenant at Block 749, Yishun Street 72. On the day of the accident, he rode his PMA to a nearby market to buy groceries for his wife, who has Alzheimer’s disease.
Leck was driving along Yishun Ring Road at about 2pm when he stopped at the junction with Yishun Avenue 5. He waited in the extreme left lane for pedestrians to cross the road but did not notice Mr Chen on his PMA behind the pedestrians.
The driver then started to turn left onto Yishun Avenue 5 even though the traffic light had not yet changed to green. He collided with Tan, causing him to fall from his PMA.
Leck immediately got out of his car to assist Tan and called an ambulance. In March 2025, Leck was charged with driving without due care and causing grievous hurt to another person, and for failing to obey the traffic sign.
Family Cared for Bedridden Man at Home After Hospital Stay
Tan suffered a brain haemorrhage from the accident and underwent emergency surgery for hydrocephalus – a condition where cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain.
He was hospitalised for 85 days and suffered permanent brain damage.
His 50-year-old daughter Wei’en was overseas on holiday when the accident happened. She only learned about it the next day when their tenant informed her that her father had not returned home.
Police had difficulty identifying Tan initially as he carried only his wallet without identification.
After the surgery, Tan briefly regained consciousness and movement. However, his condition deteriorated rapidly within a month and he entered a vegetative state.
The family took him home after nearly three months in hospital. A professional caregiver looked after him during the day while Wei’en and her older sister took turns caring for him at night.
Tan had been the main caregiver for his wife of 60 years, who was diagnosed with dementia six years ago. Despite being in his 90s, he provided daily care for her and would go out regularly to buy groceries and cook meals.
His 53-year-old son Weiwu, an IT consultant, described his father as very family-oriented and romantic. Tan continued to write love letters to his wife and kissed her on the forehead during her birthday celebrations each year, even after she developed Alzheimer’s.
The family had hoped Tan would recover from his vegetative state. Wei’en said her father’s death was difficult to accept.
Tan had lived in Yishun for more than 30 years and built close relationships with neighbours. He loved fixing things and often repaired appliances and furniture around the estate for free.
He also did volunteer work with his daughter, including collecting and distributing food to people in need.
During sentencing, the prosecution noted that Leck had beaten the red light and caused serious injuries.
Leck’s lawyer said his client was deeply sorry and had done his best to assist the victim after the accident. Leck pleaded guilty to one count of careless driving and expressed remorse, asking the judge for a more lenient sentence.
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