Lorry driver, cyclist in Pasir Ris altercation charged

Lorry driver Teo Seng Tiong (left) is accused of causing hurt to cyclist Eric Cheung Hoyu (right), who also faces charges. ST PHOTOS: LIM YAOHUI

A lorry driver and cyclist involved in an altercation in Pasir Ris - captured in two videos that went viral - were charged in court yesterday.

The lorry driver, Teo Seng Tiong, 57, faces two charges.

He is accused of causing hurt to cyclist Eric Cheung Hoyu, 35, by negligently failing to keep a proper lookout while overtaking him.

Teo's actions resulted in him encroaching into the path of a taxi on his right, thus causing him to swerve left and collide into Cheung, court documents stated.

The maximum punishment is a jail term of six months and a $2,500 fine.

The driver also faces a second charge of failing to make a police report within 24 hours of the accident, which occurred at about 11.55am on Dec 22 last year along Pasir Ris Drive 3.

The offence carries a fine of up to $1,000 or a jail term of up to three months for a first offender.

Cheung, a British national, also faces two charges.

He is accused of committing mischief by knocking off the side mirror of Teo's lorry with his hand, causing $15 in damage.

The maximum punishment is a year in jail and a fine.

Cheung is also charged with breaching traffic rules by riding his bicycle in the middle of the left-most lane, instead of keeping to the far-left edge of the road, thereby causing obstruction to faster-moving vehicles.

A first offender faces a fine of up to $1,000 or a jail term of up to three months.

Teo's lawyer, Mr Chia Boon Teck, told the magistrate's court that his client was prepared to plead guilty in a week, adding that he will be asking the prosecution to consider taking one of the two charges into consideration.

The case was fixed for Teo to plead guilty on Jan 30.

Cheung's lawyer asked for the case to be adjourned so that he can discuss the case with his client and take instructions. The court also approved Cheung's request to leave Singapore to attend a planned family reunion in Hong Kong between Jan 17 and Jan 22. Additional bail of $10,000 was imposed. His case will be mentioned again on Jan 30.

Teo and Cheung did not have any interactions in court.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 17, 2019, with the headline Lorry driver, cyclist in Pasir Ris altercation charged. Subscribe