Foodpanda rider fined $4,000 for assaulting pedestrian, 60
SINGAPORE — A part-time food delivery rider on an e-scooter hit a pedestrian with his bag but still didn’t stop his personal mobility device (PMD), a court heard.
When the pedestrian shouted a Hokkien vulgarity, however, Rominico Ezekiel Siddons stopped, dismounted, and punched the victim on the cheek and chest.
At the State Courts on Tuesday (11 February), the errant e-scooter rider was fined $4,000.
The 25-year-old Singaporean pleaded guilty to one charge of causing hurt.
Victim shouted Hokkien vulgarity
At the time of the offence on 24 July last year, Siddons was a student at the Institute of Technical Education College East and working part time for Foodpanda.
He was riding his e-scooter through Pasir Ris Town Park towards Block 458 Pasir Ris Drive 4 when he overtook pedestrian Lim Say Khye, 60, who was walking along the footpath, to his left.
Siddons rode along the drain next to the footpath to overtake Lim. He felt his food delivery bag hit the pedestrian, but didn’t stop to apologise.
Lim shouted “c*** b**”, which is a Hokkien vulgarity, at Siddons.
“The accused then dismounted his e-scooter and approached the victim in an aggressive manner,” said Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Tongyi.
“He confronted the victim and asked the victim whether he intended to apologise to him. The victim refused and insisted that the accused should instead apologise for knocking onto him,” the prosecutor added.
Siddons then punched Lim on his left cheek and on his chest.
Accused left scene to collect food order
“As the verbal dispute continued, the accused continued advancing towards the victim. The victim swung his hand at the accused in a bid to maintain distance between himself and the accused,” said DPP Tan.
“At this point in time, two unidentified passersby arrived and separated the victim and the accused. The accused continued making motions to hit the victim, prompting one of the unidentified passersby to tell the accused not to raise his hands anymore,” the prosecutor added.
Lim then called the police to say, “someone riding e-scooter hit onto me and I scolded him vulgarities and he beat me up. I don’t need ambulance but he wants to attack me again.”
While waiting for policemen to arrive, Siddons received a food delivery order and left to collect it from White Sands Shopping Centre.
Lim felt pain in his cheek and chest but did not seek immediate medical attention.
The maximum punishment for causing hurt, before the latest amendments to the Penal Code took effect on 1 January, is two years’ jail and a $5,000 fine. The maximum penalty for the offence now is up to three years’ jail and a $5,000 fine.
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