Detention order for teenage e-scooter rider who caused housewife severe brain injuries

SINGAPORE — The teenager who knocked down a housewife and caused her to suffer severe brain injuries was on Tuesday (July 17) sentenced to a short detention order of 14 days, as well as 100 hours of community service.

That means that Nicholas Ting Nai Jie, who turned 19 on Sunday, will serve two weeks behind bars but will not have a criminal record when he is released.

Calling his actions "highly negligent", District Judge Eddy Tham said he caused 54-year-old housewife Ang Liu Kiow to suffer severe injuries.

The Temasek Polytechnic student had pleaded guilty last month to causing grievous hurt to Madam Ang on Sept 17, 2016 while riding on his e-scooter.

The court heard then that Ting's father had bought him the 14kg e-scooter two months before the incident.

Even though its manufacturer warned against riding it with a pillion rider, Ting picked up his girlfriend and rode with her to Pasir Ris East Community Club that day. He was late for a dental appointment there.

At about 10.09am, the couple were riding at about 15km/h on the footpath along Pasir Ris Drive 1. Even though they were approaching a bus stop, Ting neither reduced his speed nor sounded his horn to alert pedestrians and commuters.

When he saw Mdm Ang stepping out from the bus stop onto the footpath, he applied the brakes but failed to stop in time. He collided into her, causing her to fall and hit her head on the ground.

Pedestrians had to help her rest on the bus stop seats, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Dillon Kok. "It was observed that her eyes were open but she was not responsive. She also vomited yellowish fluid a few times," he added.

Ting and his girlfriend then called the police for assistance.

Mdm Ang was taken to Changi General Hospital, and lost consciousness on the way there in the ambulance. She found to be haemorrhaging in her brain and was put on life support before undergoing emergency brain surgery.

She was in a coma until October 2016, before being discharged on Dec 23, 2016 in an aphasic state. Due to damage to specific regions of her brain, she was unable to comprehend and formulate language.

After government subsidies and insurance payouts, Mdm Ang's out-of-pocket medical, hospitalisation and therapy fees amounted to S$2,470.

She is currently under home care, and still requires physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy.

"She remains dependent on one person in all her activities of daily living, moderate assist with close supervision in her day to day activities and ambulation within her home. She is always wheelchair bound for long distances. Her cognition remains significantly impaired and her speech remains aphasic," DPP Kok told the court.

In mitigation, Ting's lawyer Peter Keith Fernando said it was "a very unfortunate and most regrettable offence, committed without any recklessness or intention on his part".

"(Ting) has expressed utmost regret … he prays for her well-being and full recovery. He is doing extremely well in polytechnic and has a good future ahead of him," Mr Fernando added.

On May 1 this year, new laws governing personal mobility devices such as e-scooters kicked in. Under the Active Mobility Act, e-scooter riders are allowed to go up to a maximum of 15km/h on footpaths, and 25km/h on park connectors and shared paths. They are also banned on public roads.

Personal mobility devices used on public paths also cannot weigh more than 20kg each and must not exceed more than 70cm in width.

First-time offenders who flout the usage rules and speed limits may be fined up to S$1,000 or jailed up to three months, or both. Repeat offenders may have their fine and jail term doubled.

For causing grievous hurt with a negligent act, Ting could have been jailed up to two years and/or fined up to S$5,000.

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