Teen who crashed GTR at high speed and injured car driver pleads guilty
A full-time national serviceman who crashed his Nissan GTR into another car and injured a driver while speeding in a car park pleaded guilty to the offence on Wednesday (4 October).
Shi Ximu Herman, 19, had been charged with one count of causing grievous hurt by an act which endangers life or the personal safety of others. The driver of the other car, 66-year-old Teong Hien Sing, suffered two rib fractures, a spine injury and swelling in the brain as a result of the accident.
The court heard that Shi was attending a motoring event, “Singapore Exotic Car Spotter”, at a car park along Stadium Walk on 27 August 2016, when the accident happened. Photographers who were at the event took photos and videos of cars such as the one driven by Shi.
Prior to the accident, the teenager drove to one end of the car park, before speeding at 120km/h through two non-signalised junctions.
Shi did the same again at the car park a while later. Teong, who was not involved in the event, was then driving his Toyota Corolla through the second non-signalised junction and had the right of way. Shi, however, failed to stop his Nissan GTR and crashed into the right side of Teong’s car.
A video of the crash was played in the court. A loud bang could be heard when the GTR smashed into the Corolla. Shi explained in court that some photographers had asked him to do a speed trial. He was supposed to drive past a group of photographers, but had somehow missed the turn and was looking out for them.
As a result, he failed to notice Teong’s Corolla, and when he did, he tried to jam the brakes but could not stop his car in time as “the speed was too fast”.
Shi, who had agreed to compensate Teong after the accident, said he was “traumatised” by the crash and has “a fear of driving at a high speed” now. He also said that he intends to give up his Nissan GTR.
The teen has a previous warning from authorities after being caught speeding on the Kallang-Paya Lebar expressway in July 2016, which happened four months after he obtained his driver’s license.
Shi asked the court to allow him to complete his national service, which ends in May 2018, before serving his sentence but his request was rejected.
The case will be heard again on 17 October for the prosecution to send in its sentencing submissions. Yahoo News Singapore understands that the prosecution is pushing for at least six weeks’ jail and a driving disqualification of 18 months to be imposed on Shi, who is currently out on a $10,000 bail.
