Vaitheswaran To Enter Defence For Causing Death Of College Student On Penang Bridge

A former hairdresser, K. Vaitheswaran was charged with causing the death of Moey, a college student, who drove a sports utility vehicle (SUV) which crashed into the sea from the Penang Bridge in January 2019.

The Magistrate’s court has ordered Vaitheswaran (29th September 2021) to enter his defence for causing the death of a college student by his reckless driving more than two years ago. The decision was issued by Sessions Court Judge Ahzal Fariz Ahmad Khairuddin, who is also presiding as a Magistrate, after the court decided that the prosecution had proved a prima facie case against Vaitheswaran.

The 23-year-old hairstylist was accused of driving recklessly and causing the death of the 20-year-old student at KM4.0 on the bridge towards Prai at about 3am on 20th January 2019. In the bizarre incident, the college student was submerged underwater after colliding with another car at the Penang Bridge.

According to Dr. P. Chandroth Navin of Penang Hospital’s Forensic Medicine Department, who conducted the post-mortem on Moey stated that the cause of death was due to drowning. He added that externally, there were three bruises, while internally, there were just four swellings on the head without any skull fractures or other injuries.

Moey’s body was found strapped to the driver’s seat after the vehicle was retrieved from the sea three days later.

The collision was recorded on the dashcam of a passing vehicle, causing the SUV to spin out of control and tumble off the bridge.

Watch the full video below:

The charge under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 carries a 10 year maximum jail sentence and a maximum fine of RM20,000 or both upon conviction.

According to Makkal Osai, Vaitheswaran is currently out on a RM7,000 bail. His driving license has also been suspended until the outcome of the trial, and he is compelled to report to the nearest police station once a month.