Man jailed and fined for driving backwards against flow of traffic to avoid road block
A man who drove a car backwards against the flow of traffic for almost 900 metres in order to avoid a police road block was jailed for two years and nine months, and fined $3,000 in the State Courts on Monday (13 November).
Mohd Amirudin Mohd Shafiee, 35, who was convicted of a slew of traffic offences, was also banned from driving for three years. The court heard that Amirudin was driving along Kallang Road when he and a passenger approached a road block at around 2am on 14 February this year.
Amirudin was already out on bail for speeding off from another police road block in the previous month for driving without a license. Knowing that he did not have a valid driving license and that he had an outstanding court case, Amirudin tried to avoid the road block at Kallang Road and drove backwards.
A police officer rode her motorcycle and approached Amirudin, signalling for him to stop but he refused and continued driving against the flow of traffic for about 0.89km.
In an attempt to evade police around Sims Avenue, Amirudin also jumped two red lights and weaved between vehicles. He was speeding at between 80km/h and 90km/h even though the speed limit at that stretch of road was 50km/h.
Along Geylang Lorong 14, he jumped out of the car while it was still moving, leaving this passenger inside. He then fled on foot while the car continued to move forward until it hit a gate of a residential unit at Lorong 14. His passenger also alighted and fled on foot.
Investigations revealed that Amirudin, then working as a fitness trainer, had driven away the car without the consent of its owner. He said that he resorted to doing so as he was late for work.
Amirudin pleaded guilty to failing to stop at a police road block and reckless driving. He also admitted to four charges of driving without a license and insurance, failing to stop when ordered by a police officer and driving away a vehicle without the consent of its owner.
He also pleaded guilty to possession and consumption of methamphetamine in September this year. Six other traffic-related charges and one drug charge were taken into consideration during sentencing.
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