SINGAPORE: A 64-year-old retiree was sentenced to five-and-a-half months’ jail on Wednesday (Apr 11) for rash driving along the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE), and for failing to stop to help a motorcyclist and his pillion after an accident.
Ho Loong Chan, who was a long-serving senior engineer at the Land Transport Authority, was also fined S$800 and disqualified from driving for four years.
The accident happened on Jun 15, 2016. Several videos posted on social media showed a Toyota Camry, which Ho was driving, switching lanes erratically before slamming into a motorcycle and speeding off.
It all started at about 11am when Ho overtook the motorcyclist at Jurong Town Hall Road without signaling. He came so close that the rider was forced to switch lanes amid the downpour, the court heard.
The 29-year-old rider raised his hand to gesture at Ho, who switched lanes to drive close behind him. The in-car camera of another motorist captured Ho driving erratically, veering from left to right, said Assistant Public Prosecutor Andrew Low.
The motorcyclist sounded his horn at Ho, and knocked on the driver’s window to attract his attention. Ho swerved towards the motorcyclist, causing him to almost hit a kerb. They continued in this tit-for-tat manner for about seven minutes.
AdvertisementAdvertisementFootage of Ho braking intermittently, forcing the motorcyclist to take evasive action was played in court on Wednesday.
At 11.07am on the day of the accident, Ho was seen veering sharply to the right, in the motorcyclist’s direction. This caused the man to lose control of his bike and fall into the road, along with his 27-year-old female pillion.
Video footage shows Ho speeding off. Besides failing to stop and offer help, Ho was convicted of one charge for failing to report the accident.
The motorcyclist reported it, and Ho was arrested two days later. The victims were given three to seven days’ medical leave.
Ho’s lawyer Mr Peter Low said there was no contact between his client’s Toyota Camry and the victim’s motorcycle, pointing to an inconclusive accident report.
Mr Low said that it was a rainy day, and that the motorcyclist must have “wobbled and fell down, and … then he blamed (my client)” due to the pair’s “prior unhappiness”.
He added that Ho intends to appeal against his sentence.
For rash driving, Ho could have faced up to one year in jail and a fine of up to S$5,000.
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