SINGAPORE — A 37-year-old man who was out on bail will be charged on Friday (Oct 9) with allegedly causing hurt to deter a public servant from carrying out his duty.

In a news release on Thursday, the police said that officers from the Bedok Police Division were conducting vehicle checks along Chai Chee Road on Wednesday at about 3.15am when they spotted a man driving a car recklessly in a car park.

Officers signalled for the man to stop, but he sped off.

“A pursuit ensued and the male driver committed several traffic violations, including beating one red traffic light and driving against the flow of traffic,” the police said.

During the pursuit, the man drove into a carpark along Bedok North Street 1 and hit the left side of a police car, causing one of the police officers inside the vehicle to be injured.

The 21-year-old full-time national servicemen was taken to Changi General Hospital where he received outpatient treatment.

After hitting the police car, the man drove over a road divider and escaped from the scene.

The vehicle was later found abandoned along Bedok North Avenue 3.

“A check was made on the car and an object, believed to be a stun device, was found,” the police said.

Through follow-up investigations, officers from Bedok Police Division established the identity of the man and arrested him on Wednesday.

During his arrest, substances suspected to be controlled drugs were found on him.

The authorities said that the man had earlier been charged on Aug 14 this year with the offence of rash act causing hurt, and was on court bail when the incident took place on Wednesday.

In addition to the charge due to be laid in court on Friday, the man will be investigated for the offences of dangerous driving, possession of arms without licence and suspected drug-related offences.

If found guilty of voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant for carrying out his duties, he could be jailed up to seven years, fined or caned.

The police warned that they have zero tolerance of such a brazen act that “threatens the safety of our officers”.

“(We) will not hesitate to take action against those who blatantly disregard the law.”