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Chef Teppei Yamashita jailed for drink driving, crashing into zebra crossing light pole

Teppei Yamashita entering the State Courts on 18 February. (PHOTO: Yahoo News Singapore/Nick Tan)
Teppei Yamashita entering the State Courts on 18 February. (PHOTO: Yahoo News Singapore/Nick Tan)

SINGAPORE — Japanese restauranteur Teppei Yamashita was jailed for four weeks on Friday (18 January) after he admitted to driving while under the influence of alcohol, and crashing into a zebra crossing light pole in 2020.

Yamashita, a chef and founder of Teppei Group, which is behind Teppei Japanese Restaurant, Hana-Hana Japanese Restaurant and Man Man Japanese Unagi Restaurant and Teppei Syokudo, was also banned from driving for four years.

The 41-year-old Singapore permanent resident's alcohol content level was nearly thrice the legal limit for driving. He pleaded guilty to one count of drink driving and one count of driving without due care and attention.

On 24 August 2020, Yamashita was at a restaurant near Tanjong Pagar MRT where he drank beer. He had his last drink at 10.20pm before leaving for his multi-purpose vehicle, which was parked at the multi-storey carpark of International Plaza. He drove to Tampines to send a friend home around midnight.

After dropping off his friend, Yamashita drove home alone. Traffic was light and visibility was clear, while the road surface was dry that night.

Lost control of MPV

While driving at the signalised cross junction of Tampines Avenue 10 and Tampines Avenue 5, he lost control of his vehicle and veered right. His car mounted a pedestrian island and hit the zebra crossing light pole, uprooting it. The damage caused was $501.25, which Yamashita fully restituted.

A driver who was following about two car lengths behind witnessed the incident. He saw Yamashita fail to follow a left bend of the slip road. Instead, Yamashita travelled straight, mounted the kerb of the pedestrian island and collided into the light pole.

The driver alighted and assisted Yamashita, noting that he reeked of alcohol. A police officer was dispatched to the scene and also noted this. Yamashita failed a breathalyser test and was brought to the Traffic Police for a further test.

The test, administered to Yamashita at about 2.06am on 25 August, showed that his alcohol content level was 102 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath. The prescribed legal limit for driving is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.

The car's front portion was damaged, with its right wheel punctured and its left wheel twisted.

Three aggravating factors

The prosecution noted that drunk drivers are one of the biggest contributors to serious accidents on the roads. He cited three aggravating factors.

Yamashita had driven a long distance of about 20km from International Plaza to Tampines, putting both himself and his passenger in danger.

The car which Yamashita had driven was a large one, increasing potential harm to road users, especially those at the pedestrian crossing area. Property damage had also been caused, added the prosecution, which sought five to six weeks’ jail and four years’ disqualification for Yamashita.

Yamashita’s lawyer Josephine Chee argued for two weeks’ jail, stating that while the alcohol level was high, Yamashita had not driven in a manner which was particularly dangerous, and that no damage was caused apart from the light pole.

Chee said her client had completed chemotherapy for a brain tumour and submitted two doctor's letters detailing his extensive treatment. These letters highlighted the risk of Yamashita catching an infection if he was placed in a “communal setting”.

However, the prosecution replied that the chief medical officer of prisons will ensure that Yamashita receives the necessary care for his condition.

For driving without due care or attention, he could have been jailed up to six months, and/or fined up to $1,500. Where a person is a serious offender, he can additionally be jailed up to a year, and/or fined between $2,000 and $10,000.

For drink driving, he could have been jailed up to a year, and/or fined between $2,000 and $10,000.

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