Jail for driver who reversed car into motorcycle, then accelerated to hit the fallen vehicle again

SINGAPORE: A driver reversed his car into a motorcyclist, then drove forward to hit the fallen motorcycle again.

Instead of stopping, Vincent See Kok Wing proceeded to drive off. 

See, 48, was jailed for eight weeks on Friday (Mar 14) after he pleaded guilty to one count of committing a rash act to endanger human life, with another charge of a similar nature taken into consideration for his sentencing. 

Apart from his jail term, See was disqualified from driving for two years and ordered to pay compensation of S$2,399.86 (US$1,800). 

The motorcyclist, Mr Arifian Sumari, had been riding his motorcycle with his wife as a pillion at about 9.40pm on Mar 23 last year. He rode along Woodlands Avenue 5, where See was also driving with his wife, son and daughter as passengers.  

At two points, Mr Arifian felt that See cut into his lane. After the second occasion, when both vehicles stopped at a cross junction, Mr Arifian gestured at See to ask why he drove in that manner. See made a gesture in return.

Later, both vehicles turned into Woodlands Avenue 12 and See started to brake intermittently while in front of Mr Arifian’s motorcycle. 

See then stopped his car in front of the motorcycle in an angled manner that prevented the motorcycle from passing. Mr Arifian shouted at See to alight from the car, while his wife dismounted from the motorcycle.

Suddenly, See reversed his car and hit the motorcycle, forcing Mr Arifian to jump off and land on his left wrist to avoid being hit. 

After reversing onto a grass patch over a curb, See accelerated forward in the direction of Mr Arifian’s wife to hit the fallen motorcycle again. 

See’s car then mounted the kerb. He reversed the car off the kerb and drove off. 

A 57-second clip of the incident, filmed by Mr Arifian’s wife, was played in court. The video captured the sound of cars honking due to the commotion, and the couple shouting at See before he drove off. A person in the passenger seat of See’s car could also be seen gesturing at the couple. 

Mr Arifian called the police the same night and later sought medical treatment. 

He was diagnosed with an injury to his left wrist and given three days of medical leave. 

The medical bill came up to S$42.86 and repairs to the damaged motorcycle cost S$2,357.

For committing a rash act endangering human life, See could have been jailed up to a year, or fined up to S$5,000, or both.