A bus driver who passed out at the wheel before fatally hitting a pedestrian two years ago has been sentenced to 20 months in jail and will have his driver’s license suspended for five years, a judge ruled today.
Leung Wai-kong, a 42-year-old Kownloon Motor Bus (KMB) driver, was convicted on one count of dangerous driving causing death at District Court this morning, HK01 reports.
He was behind the wheel of the 1A bus at 6am on September 29, 2016, when the vehicle mounted a pavement and crashed at the junction between Nathan Road and Haiphong Road, in Tsim Sha Tsui.
He vomited twice and then passed out at the wheel of his vehicle, which then crashed into 26-year-old Lam Bo-bo, who died from multiple injuries from the trauma.
The court heard last month that Leung had felt sick after eating a burger with cheese from McDonald’s an hour before the crash. He told the court he had a food allergy.
The judge in his concluding remarks said that the defendant knew he was unwell yet continued to drive. His actions, the judge continued, had put other road users in danger, and also caused the death of Lam.
The judge also acknowledged that this case was different from a drink-driving case, and did not involve intentional speeding or disobeying traffic regulations.
HK01 reports that the court also heard that Leung had six previous convictions that included theft and the possession and trafficking of dangerous drugs.
Apart from being fined for using a mobile phone while driving, the court heard that Leung had a good driving record since becoming a bus driver in 2017.
A background report ordered by the court revealed Leung had been feeling depressed, was suffering from insomnia and post-traumatic stress since the incident.
