A MOTORCYCLIST died six days after he was knocked down by an unknown lorry while the driver was making an illegal right turn and encroached into his path, a coroner's court heard.

After the accident at the junction of Jalan Bukit Merah and Kim Tian Road about 12.45am on July 26, 2006, the lorry driver was seen stopping along the left side of Kim Tian Road. He alighted to check but ran back to his vehicle and fled from the scene.

The motorcyclist, Mr Yong Sun Chook, 38, a Malaysian odd-job labourer, was taken to hospital where he died of a severe head injury on Aug 1 that year.

Mr Yong was riding alone along Jalan Bukit Merah when a white lorry on his left made the illegal right turn into Kim Tian Road.

Witnesses told Traffic Police that they saw the word "Excel'' on the rear of the unknown white lorry.

Traffic Police conducted an island-wide search and tracked down a company called Excel Singapore.

Twenty-two white lorries from the company were sent to Traffic Police for examination. But none of the vehicles was found to be damaged or had any foreign paintwork found, said the investigation officer Colin Ong.

Police have yet to establish the particulars of the driver or the registration number of the unknown white lorry.

State Coroner Victor Yeo recorded a verdict of criminal negligence of the unknown driver on Mr Yong's death.