SINGAPORE: A man attempting to avoid a police barrier along a road reversed his car and drove against the flow of traffic to escape.
When caught, Dr Oh Shen Leong, 36, gave the police the wrong NRIC number and false date of birth. He also lied that he was a private tutor when he was in fact a doctor.
Dr Oh pleaded guilty to one count each of driving a car without reasonable consideration for other road users, and for failing to comply with instructions at a police road barrier.
Another count of providing false information to the police will be considered for his sentencing, which has been adjourned to Apr 17.
On Sep 8, 2023, Dr Oh met two friends for dinner and had a glass of wine. The trio then went to Capital Zouk at Clarke Quay. There, Oh had a glass of gin and tonic, and a glass of whiskey mixed with coke.
The three of them left at about 3am the next day.
One of Dr Oh’s friends had driven to Clarke Quay but asked Dr Oh to drive instead as she felt that he was in a better state.
Intending to head back to the friend’s residence, Dr Oh drove while his two friends were passengers in the car.
At about 3.30am, he exited the East Coast Park Expressway (ECP) at Tanjong Katong Road and drove along Tanjong Katong Road South.
At this point, he spotted a road barrier with police officers.
One of the officers flagged the car, ordering him to stop at the barrier. Instead of complying, Oh braked some distance away from the barrier before reversing the car, as he did not want to risk a breathalyser test.
He drove against the flow of traffic for about 350m on the two-lane road exiting the ECP until he was back on the expressway. No other cars were around at this time.
Police officers attempted to chase the car but did not manage to. They used the vehicle licence plate to trace it to the residence of Dr Oh’s friend.
When they arrived at the residence, they interviewed each person separately.
Dr Oh provided a fake NRIC number and date of birth, lying that he worked as a private tutor. According to the medical registry, Dr Oh practises general surgery in Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.
He also lied that a valet driver had driven them back to the residence, and denied drinking any alcohol.
“The accused said that he felt dizzy and dehydrated. An ambulance subsequently arrived, and the accused initially requested to be conveyed to the hospital,” said Deputy Public Prosecutor Ariel Tan.
“However, he subsequently refused conveyance. An internal screening then revealed that the NRIC number which the accused had provided was invalid.”
When asked to give his particulars again, Oh provided the correct details. He admitted that he had been the driver of the car.
A blood sample was taken from Oh at about 10.36am that day, and it was submitted for analysis on Sep 12, 2023.
The blood sample was found to contain 20mg of ethanol per 100ml of blood. The legal limit is 80mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood.
Ms Tan argued for Dr Oh to be jailed for between two and three weeks and disqualified from driving for two years.
The prosecution said the threshold for jail had been crossed due to the potential harm of his actions, his voluntary intoxication, his desire to avoid detection for a possible drink-driving offence and his attempt to evade arrest.
“This is a case that calls for a deterrent sentence,” Ms Tan said.
“The accused knew full well that he was not supposed to drive while under the influence of alcohol, but he did it nonetheless, and as soon as he realised that he could be caught, he tried to escape liability by reversing his car into an expressway, driving away from the scene even though he knew that he was supposed to proceed towards the roadblock.”
Dr Oh’s lawyer Philip Fong sought a fine for his client, arguing that a jail term was not warranted. Mr Fong also disagreed that Dr Oh should be disqualified from driving.
He said his client was concerned about getting his friend home and genuinely believed that he had been sober. Dr Oh had retained proper control of the car at all times and did not violently resist arrest.
In reversing away, he did not endanger the lives of the police officers at the barrier, the lawyer said.
At his friend’s residence, he had been exhausted, feverish and gave his misstatement at the spur of the moment due to the distressing circumstances, Mr Fong said.
District Judge Eddy Tham adjourned the sentencing to consider the points made and prepare remarks.
For driving without reasonable consideration, Dr Oh can be jailed up to six months, fined up to S$1,500 (US$1,100) or both.
For failing to comply with instructions at the police barrier, he can be jailed up to seven years, fined up to S$10,000 or both.
