SINGAPORE — In an attempt to check if his rear brake lights were working after a repair job, Goh Swee Woo mistakenly turned the engine on after failing to ensure the handbrake was engaged.
He ended up reversing the van towards a repairman, who fell down and suffered injuries including a burst fracture to the spine. The vehicle did not hit or run over the victim.
Goh, 65, was fined S$2,000 in a district court on Thursday (Feb 24) after pleading guilty to causing hurt to Mr Koh Beng Oon by a negligent act.
The court heard that Goh, along with his wife, had gone to the other man’s workshop along Ubi Road 1 on Nov 1, 2019 to repair his van’s electric wire for its rear brake lights.
They waited at the workshop since the repair job would take only 30 minutes. Goh’s wife remained seated in the front passenger while Goh stood outside to watch Mr Koh handle the repairs.
When Mr Koh completed the task, he wanted to check if the rear brake lights were working now. To that end, he told Goh to put the van in reverse gear and turn the ignition key halfway.
Goh then opened the driver’s side door to do so, but failed to check if the handbrake was engaged. He put the van in reverse gear while standing outside the vehicle, and turned the ignition key fully instead of halfway as instructed.
The van then began to move backwards, which caught Goh by surprise. He tried to move away and pushed against the van with his hand, but it picked up speed and moved towards Mr Koh who fell to the ground.
The court heard that the van did not hit or run over Mr Koh, and came to a stop when it hit a parked car.
Due to the fall, Mr Koh had difficulty getting to his feet. He called his wife to tell her what had happened, while neither Goh nor his wife helped him.
Mr Koh’s son-in-law then took him to Changi General Hospital where he was admitted for back and shoulder pain. He was diagnosed with a burst fracture of the spine, which is when the vertebra beaks in multiple directions, as well as a rotator cuff tear.
He was discharged after four days of hospitalisation.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Huo Jiongrui asked for a fine of S$2,000 to S$2,500, noting that Goh cannot be given a disqualification period given that he was not “driving” the van at the time.
The prosecutor also said he would not be seeking a compensation order as Mr Koh has taken legal advice and will be pursuing a civil claim against Goh.
Goh’s lawyer asked for a S$2,000 fine, explaining that this meant his criminal record could be rendered spent after some time instead of being permanent.
Goh could have been jailed for up to six months or fined up to S$2,500, or punished with both.
https://www.todayonline.com/singapo...rning-engine-failing-engage-handbrake-1825726
