Former actor Edmund Chen gets five-day jail term cut to one day on appeal over traffic accident

Former actor Edmund Chen, 64, had his five-day jail term reduced to one day by the High Court on July 20 following a successful appeal over a traffic accident that injured a motorcyclist. The court ruled that the initial sentence was manifestly excessive, though it acknowledged the district judge's assessment that the custodial threshold had been crossed. The incident occurred on March 4, 2025, along the AYE near the CTE. Chen, whose legal name is Tan Kai Yuan, was driving on the fourth lane of the expressway and slowed his car nearly to a stop before attempting to filter into the third lane. His intention was to enter the CTE/SLE junction, but he failed to position himself correctly in advance of the road split. A motorcyclist, traveling behind, attempted to swerve to avoid the maneuver but collided with Chen’s vehicle, suffering multiple wrist fractures. The motorcyclist was hospitalized for two days and received 99 days of hospitalization leave. He did not sustain permanent disabilities and recovered fully. Chen immediately stopped his car to assist the victim and cooperated with authorities. Dashcam footage from his vehicle was presented in court, showing that he had activated his indicator lights and that the motorcyclist’s visibility was obstructed by a passing car due to the curvature of the road. His new lawyer, Senior Counsel Abraham Vergis, argued that the severity of the injuries was minimal compared to the custodial penalty. He emphasized that the fractures were localized and treated with local anesthesia, suggesting the injuries were not life-threatening. Vergis also highlighted that Chen had already taken steps to mitigate further risk by slowing down and signaling, and that the nature of the incident did not justify a jail term. During the appeal, Vergis challenged the district judge’s characterization of Chen’s actions as involving a "sustained period of inattention." He contended that the footage demonstrated that Chen was attentive and followed proper procedures. Justice Hri Kumar Nair agreed, noting that the description did not accurately reflect the circumstances captured in the dashcam. Vergis also criticized the court’s treatment of Chen’s maneuvers, arguing that crossing the white chevron markings and filtering across lanes were not separate infractions but part of a single action. The prosecution, led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Ben Tan, maintained that the five-day jail term was within the acceptable range and that the district judge had applied the law correctly. Tan cited Chen’s history of traffic violations, including speeding, red-light running, parking offenses, and using his phone while driving, to support the need for a stricter penalty. However, Justice Nair acknowledged that the district judge had not clearly erred in determining that the custodial threshold had been reached, even though the sentence itself was deemed excessive. Following the ruling, Chen expressed relief, having brought five days’ worth of medication with him and stating that he and his family had not slept the night before the hearing. He had previously been represented by Josephus Tan and Cory Wong of Invictus Law but later switched to Kelvin Ong and Dickson Chew of Contigo Law. Chen, once a prominent figure in Singapore’s entertainment industry, is best known for his roles in TV dramas such as Star Maiden and Patrol. After retiring from showbiz to care for his daughter, Chen Yixin, he occasionally returned to acting, notably in Life Less Ordinary in 2017. He is currently married to veteran actress Xiang Yun, renowned for her contributions to local cinema.