Driver in crash that killed prof was checking GPS on phone

He says he was in a state of panic when he told police officer he had fallen asleep at the wheel

- Andrew Wong

The driver of a lorry involved in a crash that claimed the life of an NUS law professor said he lost control of his vehicle when he took his eyes off the road to look at his GPS.

Natarajan Mohanraj, 26, had earlier told a police officer at the crash site that the accident on July 7, 2023, happened after he fell asleep at the wheel.

The lorry he was driving veered across three lanes before crashing into oncoming traffic, including a car driven by Emeritus Professor Tan Yock Lin.

The senior law professor was 70.

At the coroner's inquiry on May 2, Natarajan, an Indian national, said he told the police officer he was sleepy as he was in a state of panic after the accident.