Maserati driver faces 15 new charges, including obstructing justice

SINGAPORE — Fifteen fresh charges, including for rash driving and obstructing justice, were pressed on Thursday (Dec 28) against the Maserati driver accused of injuring a Traffic Police officer in a hit-and-run in November.

Lee Cheng Yan, 34, now faces 23 charges in all, and could be hit with more, Deputy Public Prosecutor Quek Jing Feng said in court.

For the new charge of rash driving, Lee is said to have run two red lights and driven against the flow of traffic after he drove into Staff Sergeant Khairulanwar Abd Kahar and dragged the officer for a distance on Nov 17.

He also allegedly overtook vehicles without signalling, encroached a cyclist’s path, and nearly caused a collision with another car.

Lee was also hit with one count of obstructing the course of justice by abandoning his white Maserati along Willow Avenue near Upper Aljunied Road after the hit-and-run, as well as discarding the white shirt he was wearing at the rubbish chute at Block 66, Kallang Bahru Road.

Other charges meted out to Lee on Thursday included three more counts of driving under disqualification, four new counts of driving without insurance, and failing to surrender his driving licence after the traffic accident.

He is also accused of other offences under the Road Traffic Act such as failing to wear a seatbelt, failing to stop when ordered by the police, and for failing to stop and render assistance after the accident.

Earlier on Dec 1, Lee was hit with charges including driving under disqualification, driving without insurance, cheating, as well as offences under the Protection from Harassment Act.

He is reportedly being investigated for unlicensed moneylending and illegal online gambling.

DPP Quek also told the court that the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau and the Criminal Investigation Department were investigating Lee.

Lee was let out on S$35,000 bail and is due in court on Jan 25 next year.