Mother Of Driver In Tanjong Pagar Crash Denies Victims’ Families’ Claims

It has been almost two years since the horrific Tanjong Pagar crash in Feb 2021, which claimed the lives of five men. The victims were the driver, the front-seat passenger, and three passengers at the back.

And on 11 Nov, the families of the three passengers, Mr Eugene Yap Zheng Min, Mr Wilson Teo Qi Xiang, and Mr Gary Wong Hong Chieh, filed claims seeking S$1.7 million from the driver’s estate.

Tanjong Pagar Crash Victims’ Families Allegedly Seek S$1.7M In Dependency Claims From Driver’s Estate

Now, the mother of the deceased driver Mr Jonathan Long Junwei, Madam Chan, said she would fight the lawsuits.

The 58-year-old denied all allegations and claims of the families, saying the victims’ deaths were due to their own negligence.

Mother of driver in Tanjong Pagar crash files defence

According to The Straits Times (ST) on Monday (5 Dec), Madam Chan, the administrator of her son’s estate, filed her defence against the victims’ families’ lawsuits.

She denied all allegations and claims, saying the deaths of the passengers were contributed by their own negligence in travelling as a passenger.

At the time of the accident, the car was driven by her son Mr Long.

Madam Chan said the victims knew or ought to have known Mr Long had consumed alcohol in quantities, which, to an extent, rendered him unfit to drive safely.

She denied that Mr Long owed the victims, Mr Yap, Mr Teo, and Mr Wong, a duty of care.

All three passengers willingly participated in the joint illegal activity.

ST reported that the defence papers stated this involved the “contest of speed amongst the drivers of the car and under the influence of alcohol”.

She said that the deceased passengers caused or encouraged Mr Long to take them for a ride in his car.

Under these circumstances, they had failed to take adequate precautions fo...