Advertisement

Taxi driver fined $2,000 for flicking lit cigarette butt into another car in anger

FILE PHOTO: Dhany Osman/Yahoo News Singapore
FILE PHOTO: Dhany Osman/Yahoo News Singapore

While arguing through the windows of their respective cars, a taxi driver flicked his lit cigarette butt through the other car’s window in anger, hitting the Uber driver’s chest.

The taxi driver, Don Thung Yong, was fined $2,000 on Thursday (10 January) in the State Courts.

Don, a 45-year-old Singaporean, admitted to one count of committing a rash act endangering the personal safety of Uber driver Lawrence Sivakumar. Another count of causing harassment to Sivakumar by using vulgarities on him was taken into consideration for sentencing.

The two were driving along Middle Road towards Victoria Street at 4.10am on 4 November 2017 when they got into a road dispute.

As Don encroached into Sivakumar’s path while switching into his lane, the latter sounded his horn once to alert him.

When Sivakumar stopped his vehicle at the next red traffic light signal, Don drove up next to him. He then shouted vulgarities at Sivakumar.

Sivakumar then wound down his passenger window and responded with profanities before explaining why he sounded his horn.

During the heated argument, Don, who was smoking, flicked his burning cigarette butt into Sivakumar’s car through the latter’s passenger window. The cigarette butt struck Sivakumar on the chest before landing on the driver’s seat, scattering ash all over his pants.

Don then drove off, and Sivakumar lodged a police report later that day.

For committing a rash act to endanger the personal safety of others, Don could have been jailed up to six months, or fined a maximum $2,500, or both.

Other Singapore stories:

Spurned man jailed a week for rubbing faeces on woman’s face

Gojek extends services in beta phase for users to sign up across Singapore

SingHealth cyberattack: COI says success of attacker ‘not inevitable’, highlights staff lapses and system vulnerabilities