The deaths of the four men, and the car's driver Jonathan Long Junwei, was ruled to be a traffic-related misadventure. - SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS
SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): It has been 18 months since five young men were killed in a fiery car crash in Tanjong Pagar last year, but the emotions are still raw for the families who have been left behind.
For Michelle Wong, 34, wounds are reopened whenever she reads stories about the accident that killed her brother, Gary Wong Hong Chieh, 29, and the lack of empathy from some netizens only rubs salt into these wounds.
It is a similar story for the families of Wilson Teo Qi Xiang, 26; Elvin Tan Yong Hao, 28; and Eugene Yap Zheng Min, 29, who were passengers in a BMW M4 coupe that ploughed into the pillar of a shophouse and burst into flames at around 5.40am on Feb 13 last year.
On Wednesday (Aug 24), State Coroner Adam Nakhoda found the deaths of the four men, and the car driver, Jonathan Long Junwei, 29, to be a traffic-related misadventure.
Speaking to The Straits Times later, Wong said the mother of one of the passengers who died in the crash still cries from time to time, while another avoids the accident site altogether.
"They would never want to pass by that area because it really brings back the worst nightmare in their lives," she added.
ALSO READ: Tanjong Pagar crash: Driver's fiancee Raybe Oh struggles to cope with online vitriol
Still, Wednesday's verdict brings some closure after months of emotional turmoil, said Ms Wong, who works in sales in an IT company.
"We know it will be in the news today because of the court hearing and because it is the worst car accident in a decade. But after this week, we hope this incident won't keep being raised in the media and online," she added.
"It is very unfair for keyboard warriors and people who don't know (the men) to make nasty comments when they don't know them personally and they don't know what exactly happened. It is horrible for them to accuse them of things they did not do, and also saying they deserved it.
"My brother and the driver were two different people. They were friends but it doesn't mean they did the same thing, or acted in the same way."
The verdict from State Coroner Nakhoda on Wednesday could also open up the possibility for legal action to be taken by the families of Wong, Teo, Tan and Yap.
While their families did not attend the hearing on Wednesday, they were represented in court by Daniel Goh from law firm Characterist.
Asked if the four families were considering any civil action, Goh said: "We have gotten the verdict, which is good because one episode has closed. I will advise them accordingly and we will explore all options."
He added: "These are the most heart-wrenching accident claims I have ever done. There is a lot of emotion involved."
ST has asked AXA Insurance, which is the insurer of the vehicle involved in the accident, for comment.
Meanwhile, Andy Long, 63, the father of Jonathan Long, said he has also found closure following the coroner's findings into the accident.
Speaking to the media after the verdict, he added: "We have to move on with life; it has not been easy."
He even referred to his son's fiancee, Raybe Oh Siew Huey, as his daughter.
After the car had crashed, Oh, then 26, had run into the fire to try and save them.
She suffered severe burns in the process.
Andy Long, who works in the cleaning industry, said: "There are still things that need to be done, like looking after my daughter Raybe... What's done is done."
He added there was still a long way to go for her recovery as doctors are trying to help her to move freely.
He said he has been looking after her since the accident.
Oh, who declined to comment about Wednesday's verdict, had told ST in June that she was resting after undergoing an operation.
She said she had wanted to marry Jonathan Long as she saw the love in his family.
She had said then: "He is filial and sweet, and his parents are a loving couple who set a good example for him."
