KOTA KINABALU: The driver of the Mercedes-Benz car said in the inquest into the death of Datuk Edmund Chong here yesterday that it was impossible for a person driving a car at the speed of 60 to 70 kilometers per hour to perform a U-turn.
Oi Thian Hoo, 41, who was responding to a question from his counsel Loreto S Padua Jr, told coroner Melissa Chia that on the day of the incident, he had driven his car at between 60 and 70 kilometers per hour.
“At that speed, when one drives a car, a U-turn can’t be performed,” the 31st deponent contended.
To another question by Padua Jr, Oi said, that if he could overtake a car while driving at60 to 70 kilometers per hour, it means to say that the car that he was about to overtake must be travelling at a speed less than his car’s speed.
“I agree that at the time of the incident the tyre of my car was punctured but I still could drive the car forward and moved it to an empty space,” said Oi.
Chong, who was then the Batu Sapi member of parliament, was killed on the spot after his 750cc turbo-charged Kawasaki collided with the Mercedes-Benz car on the Coastal Highway here at 11.25am on Oct 9, 2010.
Earlier, when reminded by Chin Teck Ming, one of the counsels watching brief for Chong’s family, of his testimony where he (Oi) had told the Coroner’s Court that when the accident occurred he had panicked and was shocked as he had caused an accident because he wanted to make a U-turn.
Oi responded, “I disagree”.
Chin further said to Oi, “you refused to approach Chong’s body who was thrown off to the opposite road as you had caused the accident which had involved a life because you wanted to make a U-turn?”
Oi said, “That is not true.”
Chin said further, “if your car and Chong’s motorcycle were parallel to each other, no matter what the speed levels of your car and Chong’s motorcycle were, the accident would not have happened if you had not turned your car to the right.”
Oi responded, “I don’t agree”.
Chin then said, “actually on that day, you wanted to make a U-turn and you did not see Chong’s motorcycle coming from the rear because your vision was blocked by your car’s tinted glass.”
Oi disagreed with Chin.
“Because you wanted to make a sudden U-turn, Chong had no chance to avoid your car and caused the collision to happen?” questioned Chin, but Oi disagreed.
Chin then stressed, “you were the one who had caused the accident because you wanted to perform a U-turn.”
Oi disagreed and said, “physically, it is impossible for one to perform an illegal U-turn at the crash scene,” Oi added.
Deputy public prosecutor Raja Zaizul Faridah Raja Zaharuddin conducted the inquiry and assisted by traffic prosecuting officer Chief Inspector Wilynton Enchana Watt.
Counsel Bartholomew Jingulam also acted for Chong’s family while counsel Nelson W Angang also held a watching brief for Oi and Datin Sa’adah Aziz was the watching brief counsel for an insurance company.
The inquest continues today.