E-scooter rider fined for deliberately knocking into worker at Keat Hong CC

SINGAPORE — Asked by a worker at Keat Hong Community Club not to ride his e-scooter in its multi-purpose hall, Chew Hup Seng, 37, not only refused to comply.

The part-time tutor verbally abused the worker, Mr Pedro JR Garcia Mondejar, and collided into him with the e-scooter. Mr Mondejar, a 48-year-old Filipino, is an architectural coordinator with a construction firm hired by the community club (CC) to do rectification works on the building.

For endangering the personal safety of Mr Mondejar, Chew was fined a maximum S$2,500 on Wednesday (Sept 5).

The court heard that at about 10am on July 24 last year, Chew took a lift up to the fifth floor of Keat Hong Community Club and rode his e-scooter around the multi-purpose hall.

Concerned that the personal mobility device would damage the timber flooring of the hall, Mr Mondejar asked Chew to stop riding it.

Chew responded by pointing his middle finger at Mr Mondejar and hurling a vulgarity at him.

Mr Mondejar briefly returned to his office and walked across the multi-purpose hall to the lift lobby shortly after.

This caught Chew's attention and he rode his e-scooter and collided into Mr Modejar, who managed to avoid injury by using his hands to block the e-scooter.

Chew gestured aggressively and taunted his victim, shouting: "If you want, I bang you with my scooter".

The incident was captured on closed circuit television.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Andre Chong called for the maximum fine to be imposed on Chew, who pleaded guilty to one charge of committing a rash act. A second charge of harassment was taken into consideration for sentencing.

DPP Chong said that Chew was riding in a prohibited location and had committed a rash act because of his animosity towards the victim.

Chew could have been jailed for up to six months and fined.
 

Correction: In an earlier version of this story, we incorrectly identified the victim as an employee of Keat Hong Community Club. We apologise for the error.