Driver in Toa Payoh car crash charged with dangerous driving; 2 passengers arrested

SINGAPORE — A 34-year-old man was charged on Tuesday (Feb 16) after allegedly losing control of his car and crashing into a pedestrian last Friday along Lorong 1 Toa Payoh.

Vaswani Richard Prakash now faces two new charges of dangerous driving and dangerous driving causing grievous hurt.

The Singaporean already had three pending charges against him for drug consumption, voluntarily causing hurt to a police officer, and breaching a mandatory aftercare condition of his remission order.

The Toa Payoh car crash took place before a fatal crash in Tanjong Pagar that made headlines several hours later. The second crash left five young men dead and a woman badly burned.

In Vaswani’s case, court documents stated that he allegedly drove at an excessive speed, beat eight red lights, then hit a side kerb, causing his car to flip before colliding into the centre road divider railings.

He is said to be behind the wheel while driving along the Pan Island Expressway (PIE) towards Changi Airport, before the Toa Payoh exit. This was believed to be close to midnight on Feb 12.

The police and the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) said in a joint statement on Tuesday. that two traffic police officers spotted his car and signalled for him to stop but he did not comply, instead speeding off towards Lorong 2 Toa Payoh.

Vaswani then allegedly hit a 25-year-old female pedestrian who was crossing at a pedestrian crossing along Lorong 1 Toa Payoh, before purportedly crashing into the railings.

Vaswani and the two passengers in his car then fled on foot. 

The traffic police officers chased them and arrested one of the passengers, a 32-year-old woman, for suspected drug-related offences.

Vaswani and the other male passenger, aged 27, were later identified and arrested.

The younger man was arrested last Sunday for allegedly consorting with persons carrying offensive weapons in public places and for suspected drug-related offences.

Vaswani was nabbed on Monday for similar offences, including dangerous driving causing grievous hurt and other traffic-related offences.

Only Vaswani has been charged so far. Police investigations against the two passengers — who were not named — are ongoing.

District Judge Lorraine Ho ordered for Vaswani to be remanded at the Central Police Division for investigations. He will return to court on Feb 22.

If convicted of dangerous driving causing grievous hurt, he could be jailed up to five years and given a driving ban.

Offenders convicted of reckless or dangerous driving can be jailed up to a year or fined up to S$5,000, or both.

Court documents stated that Vaswani’s earlier alleged offences include breaching curfew hours by failing to remain indoors in May last year. At the time, he had been given a one-third remission of his jail term for morphine consumption.

He is also accused of consuming methamphetamine and biting a policeman’s forearm in June last year.