SINGAPORE: After causing a collision at a taxi stand because he forgot to engage his handbrake, a private-hire driver accelerated matters by suddenly driving off, hitting the other driver as a result.
Aiden Ang Wee Hao, 33, was jailed for two weeks on Monday (Jul 7) and banned from driving for a year.
The Singaporean pleaded guilty to one count of causing hurt by a rash act endangering personal safety.
The court heard that Ang was working part-time as a private-hire driver in December 2023.
At about 9.20pm on Dec 8, 2023, he dropped off four passengers at the taxi stand of The Centrepoint in Orchard Road.
After the passengers had alighted, Ang stepped out of his seat to check on the car, but forgot to change his gear to “park” or engage his handbrake.
The grey Mazda moved forward and collided with the back of a black Toyota Sienta, driven by Mr Yap Chee Hian, a 61-year-old full-time private-hire driver.
Mr Yap was picking up passengers from the same taxi stand.
After the collision, Mr Yap got out of his vehicle and both men discussed insurance claims and compensation for the accident.
There were no threats, vulgarities or insults made, nor any shouting, the court heard.
About three-and-a-half minutes into their conversation, Ang went back into his car and closed the door while Mr Yap continued talking to him.
Mr Yap then made a call on his phone mid-conversation.
Both men had not exchanged contacts. Mr Yap tried to talk to Ang while on the phone, but Ang started to reverse his car.
Mr Yap responded by tapping on Ang’s windscreen to get his attention. Ang paused briefly to talk to Mr Yap, but suddenly accelerated and turned his vehicle left to the adjacent lane to exit the taxi stand.
Mr Yap dashed forward along Ang’s car and slapped his bonnet once, but Ang continued moving for several metres until Mr Yap ran directly in front of his car.
Even after Mr Yap had positioned himself in front of Ang’s car, Ang continued to inch his car forward, such that Mr Yap ended up with his torso leaning over the bonnet.
Mr Yap kept trying to communicate with Ang, slapping the bonnet again to get the car to stop.
Ang briefly stopped his car and Mr Yap moved several steps backwards while using his phone.
He then immediately drove forward, stopping only when his car made contact with Mr Yap’s knee.
Ang then reversed before lurching forward and braking just before contact with Mr Yap. Mr Yap flinched in anticipation, and Ang reversed his vehicle again until it was behind Mr Yap’s car.
This time, he turned right to rejoin the main road.
Mr Yap tried to move in front of Ang’s car again to stop him from leaving, but Ang continued accelerating even after driving into Mr Yap’s right leg.
The collision caused Mr Yap’s leg to buckle, with Mr Yap’s upper body sprawled over Ang’s bonnet.
Ang continued accelerating away and Mr Yap fell to the ground just beside Ang’s front wheel.
Ang then cut across the flow of traffic to make a U-turn before speeding off from the scene.
The victim was taken to hospital with slight pain in his hip and buttock areas, with likely bruises. He was discharged that same day and given four days of outpatient sick leave.
HIGH DEGREE OF RASHNESS: PROSECUTOR
The prosecutor sought the sentence that was eventually meted out, noting that Ang had no previous convictions and had pleaded guilty as early as he could.
He noted the “high degree of rashness” Ang demonstrated, whose actions “bordered on being intentional”.
“The accused showed a sustained pattern of driving aggressively by inching his car forward multiple times even when the victim was positioned directly in front of him,” said Deputy Public Prosecutor Timothy Ong.
“During the last collision with the victim, the accused accelerated into the victim despite the victim’s position in front of the accused’s car being clearly visible to the accused in the driver’s seat,” he added.
Mr Ong said Ang’s rash driving and attempt to leave the scene must be seen “against the backdrop of his refusal to provide his particulars to the victim”, after his “careless failure to secure the handbrake had caused a collision between two vehicles”.
For a rash act endangering personal safety, he could have been jailed for up to a year, fined up to S$5,000, or both.
