Driver gets jail for speeding along CTE, causing traffic police officer to fracture wrist after falling off motorcycle

• Wong Choon Yong was speeding at 135km/h in his Audi when he entered the Kampong Java Tunnel
• He then braked abruptly, causing a traffic police officer chasing him to fall off his motorcycle 
• The officer broke his wrist and is now unable to ride his motorcycle for more than 30 minutes
   

SINGAPORE — After a drinking session in 2018, Wong Choon Yong drove his Audi on the Central Expressway (CTE) to make his way to Zouk nightclub in Clarke Quay. 

He caught the attention of several traffic police officers when he started speeding at 135km/h, far exceeding the speed limit of 80km/h. 

One of them gave chase on his motorcycle but ended up falling off it when Wong suddenly braked along a slip road. 

The officer suffered a broken wrist and, as a result, is unable to ride his motorcycle for more than 30 minutes due to pain, weakness and tremors in his hand. He is also unable to carry heavy objects or fully extend his wrist.

Wong, 37, was jailed for three weeks and fiined S$1,500 on Wednesday (June 23). The Singaporean was also disqualified from driving for one-and-a-half years.

He had claimed trial to one charge each of causing grievous hurt by a negligent act to the traffic police officer, Staff Sergeant Amir Muhammad Abdul Hamid, and speeding along the Kampong Java Tunnel on the CTE.

His lawyer, Wee Hong Shern, said that Wong intends to appeal against his conviction. He will not serve his sentence immediately because of that, and remains out on bail of S$15,000.

Wong was found guilty of both charges earlier this year. Three other related charges, including drink-driving, have been stood down for the time being.

Before this, he had been given more than a dozen composition fines between S$70 and S$200 for driving offences dating back to 2007. They include speeding, parking at unbroken double yellow lines, inconsiderate driving, and failing to conform to a no-right turn signal.

He was convicted in court in 2015 of driving without reasonable consideration and fined S$600.

SPPEDOMETER FROZE

During the trial, the court heard evidence that Staff Sergeant Amir and three other colleagues were on their way to set up roadblocks in the wee hours of Aug 9, 2018. 

When they noticed Wong’s car speeding, Staff Sergeant Amir, who took the stand to testify, said that he began following Wong and maintained a distance of one to two car lengths between Wong’s car and himself.

After trailing Wong for 400m to 500m, the policeman locked the car’s speed at 135km/h on the police digital speedometer as Wong entered Kampong Java Tunnel.

Staff Sergeant Amir however conceded that he could not tell how fast Wong was driving after that as the speedometer was frozen at the previous reading.

As Staff Sergeant Amir tailed Wong through the tunnel and into the slip road leading to Buyong Road near Orchard Road, Wong braked abruptly.

Staff Sergeant Amir skidded and fell off his motorcycle as a result. 

'SPEED NOT LIKE ON GERMAN HIGHWAY'

Wong said that he had driven at 130km/h on the Autobahn highway in Germany and felt the speed that night did not reach that.

He claimed that he glanced at his speedometer as well and saw that he was travelling at slightly above 100km/h along the tunnel, although he conceded that this was still above the limit.

Wong further claimed that he did not brake abruptly, saying that he slowed down after exiting the tunnel as he did not find it safe to stop within it. He also blamed Staff Sergeant Amir for his lack of control over his motorbike.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Phoebe Tan (DPP) said that Wong’s court testimony contradicted his police statement in several aspects, such as when he told the police that he did not know how fast he was driving at that time.  

DPP Tan also pointed out that video footage from the traffic police vehicles showed that Wong displayed no signs of stopping before the slip road.

For causing grievous hurt by a negligent act, he could have been jailed for up to two years or fined up to S$5,000, or both.

He could also have been fined up to S$2,000 or jailed for up to six months, or both, for speeding. He was liable for enhanced punishment due to his 2015 conviction under the Road Traffic Act.