Fatal ‘wrong-way’ crash driver acquitted of drug offence
BUKIT MERTAJAM: The 19-yearold woman who drove against the flow of traffic along the NorthSouth Expressway (NSE) on March 14, which resulted in a fatal accident, was acquitted by the magistrate’s court here of administering drugs to herself.
Magistrate Jamaliah Abd Manap acquitted Ng Pei Ven after deputy public prosecutor Kamaliza Md Zin told the court during mention proceedings yesterday that Ng’s urine tested negative.
“Your urine test came out negative. You are acquitted and discharged. You can ask your bailor to take back the bail money,” she said.
On March 17, Ng claimed trial to the charge of administering drugs to herself under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act, 1952. The offence carries a fine of up to RM5,000 or a jail term of up to two years, upon conviction.
At the same proceedings, Jamaliah also fixed July
5 for submission of documents on a second charge to which Ng claimed trial on March 24.
She was alleged to have driven under the influence of drugs to the extent of being incapable of controlling her vehicle and causing the death of Mohamad Fandi Rosli, 26, at Km134 of the NSE at 7.50am on March 14. She was charged under Section 44(1)(a) of the Road Transport Act 1987 which carries a jail sentence of between three and 10 years, fine of between RM8,000 and RM20,000, and her driving licence being suspended for five years, upon conviction.
In the March 14 incident, Ng had allegedly driven her car at high speed against the flow of traffic along the NSE after the Sungai Dua toll on mainland Butterworth and triggered a multivehicle collision.
Her Proton Gen 2 struck a Perodua Kelisa driven by Fandi, which led to a chain of collisions. Fandi died at the scene.
Ng and the drivers of four other vehicles sustained minor injuries. Video footage of her driving against the flow of traffic went viral on social media.