Fish farm owner fined S$3,000 for crashing into Police Coast Guard boat while drunk

SINGAPORE — After downing cognac with friends on Pulau Ubin, Tan Choon Teck decided to return to his fish farm north of the offshore island on his boat.

The 56-year-old later crashed into a stationary Police Coast Guard patrol boat.

On Thursday (March 19), the court ordered him to pay a S$3,000 fine after he pleaded guilty to one charge of navigating a vessel rashly. He could have been fined up to S$5,000, jailed up to a year, or both.

The court heard that the Singaporean owned a fish farm north of Pulau Ubin, and travelled between the farm and mainland Singapore on his boat.

On Sept 23 last year, Tan got drunk after meeting two friends at about 5pm.

He had ordered a bottle of Martell VSOP cognac, took it back to his boat about an hour later, and steered the vessel back to his farm.

At about 10pm, still in an intoxicated state, he left in his boat for the Punggol Marina Country Club on the mainland. He lost control of it en route and collided into the patrol boat.

A Police Coast Guard officer and several of his colleagues were on board, but were unhurt.

Tan sustained scratches and bruises on his knees.

When the officer checked on Tan after the collision, he found him reeking of alcohol and sporting bloodshot eyes. The officer also found the half-full Martell bottle on board.

Tan later failed a breathalyser test. He has since paid about S$8,953 in repairs for the patrol boat.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Edwin Soh sought the S$3,000 fine, saying that Tan had made a “conscious decision” to steer his boat while drunk.

However, the prosecutor noted that Tan had cooperated with the authorities.

Tan, who did not have a lawyer, said that he had asked his Member of Parliament — whom he did not identify in court — to write a mitigation letter on his behalf. He told the court that he did not want a jail term because he had to take care of his farm.