Singapore — “There is no way of running away from this. You have a very poor driving record,” the judge told motorist Wu Heng Swee on his latest driving offence.
You can say that again! Since 2000, Wu has committed some 15 driving-related offences, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Yee Jia Rong, who listed them in court.
The latest one happened in Choa Chu Kang when Wu, 55, was in his car about to turn onto the Kranji Expressway, reported The Straits Times.
Wu didn’t notice that there was a motorcyclist ahead of him in the same lane. His car struck the motorbike, causing the rider, Mr Mazlie Saini to fall off.
Had Wu not stopped by the roadside to help Mr Mazlie, he could have gotten into even worse trouble.
He was fined S$4,000 on Wednesday. He was also banned from driving for two years despite pleading with the judge not to suspend his licence, saying that he needed to drive in order to look after his family.
It could have gone far worse for him. The DPP had asked for the $4,000 fine and a three-year driving disqualification in all classes of vehicles over the accident which happened on the night of Oct 20, 2019, reported The Straits Times.
For causing grievous hurt by a negligent act, Wu could have been jailed for up to two years and fined up to S$5,000.
The man he injured, Mr Mazlie, was taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital to have surgery on his fractured hip and a broken wrist. His injuries were so serious that when he was discharged on Oct 30 after 10 days in the hospital and he was given 47 days of hospitalisation leave.
Wu had about 15 driving-related offences since 2000. He had driven against the traffic flow, ignored red traffic lights, and also been caught speeding, among other offences.
He had been fined for those previous offences but until this time had not been charged in court.
The judge was adamant about the driving suspension because Wu’s driving record was so bad. /TISG
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