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Driver in AYE hit-and-run accident jailed five months and two weeks

Singapore state courts (Yahoo News Singapore file photo)
Singapore state courts (Yahoo News Singapore file photo)

A 65-year-old motorist who deliberately swerved into a motorcyclist and his pillion rider, causing them to fall down along the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE), has been jailed five months and two weeks.

Ho Loong Chan, who was also fined $800 and disqualified from driving for four years, pleaded guilty to four charges in the State Courts on Wednesday (11 April) – rash driving, failing to exchange particulars after an accident, failing to report an accident within 24 hours and failing to render help after an accident. Six other similar charges were taken into consideration for sentencing.

The retired Land Transport Authority engineer intends to appeal against his sentence, said his lawyer Peter Low.

The incident was captured on the in-car cameras of other vehicles and shared widely on social media when it occurred on 15 June 2016.

The motorcyclist Muhammad Fazly Rahmat, 29, and his pillion rider Siti Farina Saptu, 27, were riding a motorcycle along Jurong town Hall Road ahead of Ho, who was driving his Toyota.

Ho overtook Fazly without signalling, forcing Fazly to move towards the extreme left of the lane. Fazly then gestured at Ho.

In response, Ho followed Fazly by driving erratically and veering from left to right in a dangerous manner.

At one point, Fazly sounded his horn at Ho to alert him over the earlier overtaking incident. He also knocked on the window of Ho’s car to attract his attention and Ho appeared to be angry over the confrontation.

When the car and motorcycle entered the AYE, Ho veered towards Fazly again, forcing the latter onto the road shoulder. Ho then braked intermittently, even though there were no vehicles in front of him, forcing Fazly to brake as well. The abrupt braking almost caused Fazly to crash into the rear of Ho’s car.

Ho continued to veer in Fazly’s direction and brake abruptly in front of the motorcyclist. This happened in six instances between 11am and 11.07am.

In the sixth incident, Ho braked twice in quick succession then veered sharply in Fazly’s direction, which caused the car and the motorcycle to come into contact and Fazly to lose control of his motorcycle. Fazly and Siti fell on the road while Ho drove away.

Fazly and Siti suffered bruises and abrasions as a result of their fall.

Ho, who was arrested on 17 June 2016, was previously convicted of traffic offences including for careless driving and inconsiderate driving. Seeking a jail term of six months and two weeks, Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) Andrew Low said Ho’s past and current offences showed a “disturbing pattern of bad driving”. Another aggravating factor was that two victims were left in a “precariously vulnerable position” on the road, he added.

Ho’s lawyer, Peter Low, said the prosecution’s call for a jail term was “excessive”. The motorcyclist was the “aggressor” in the incident, the lawyer said. He sought a fine for his client, saying that minimum harm was caused to the motorcyclist and the pillion rider.

Bu APP Low reiterated the need for a jail term, saying the two victims were injured. In addition, Ho did not voluntarily surrender himself after the incidents.

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