ONE night last September, a motorcyclist apparently lost control of his machine on Seletar Expressway and was flung off.
Mr Heng Chang Yeow, 50, landed in the middle of the highway, causing vehicles to swerve to avoid him. But one car ran over him - and promptly sped off. The driver was never found.
Mr Heng died in hospital the following day of multiple injuries.
At a coroner's inquiry yesterday, answers to who that driver was and how far he could have been blamed for Mr Heng's death stayed elusive.
An open verdict was recorded on the Sept 27 death.
Given the circumstances, State Coroner Victor Yeo said it was impossible to conclude the extent to which the unknown driver contributed to the injuries Mr Heng had from being flung off his motorbike.
Police investigations also shed little light on why, in the first place, the man described by his wife as a "slow" and "safe" rider lost control of his machine, which was in good condition.
What is known, though, is that he was riding along a straight stretch of the expressway heading home in the direction of Tampines Expressway just after 9pm that Saturday.
The road was dry and the weather fine, but when Mr Heng skidded, he was flung onto the middle lane of the three-lane highway.
His bike careened and came to a stop in the same lane.
A witness driving in the left-most lane told police that Mr Heng was already lying face down on the road when he spotted him.
The driver pulled over, got out of his van and saw a few cars in the centre lane swerving left and right to avoid hitting Mr Heng.
Seconds later, a white or silver sedan ran over him, then veered left to avoid hitting the fallen motorcycle.
The car did not stop, and no one managed to take down its licence plate number.
Mr Heng's corneas, kidneys and liver were donated when he died.
Speaking after the inquiry yesterday, his widow, who declined to be named, said she is still hoping for the mystery driver to come forward. She first made this appeal at her husband's wake last September.
The 42-year-old, who has a 12-year-old daughter, said: "I am just thinking...Why did he not even want to pay respects to my husband? I hope he realises he has done wrong."
