3 months’ jail for cop whose van hit biker, causing severe brain injury

SINGAPORE - A police officer was sentenced to three months’ jail after he made a discretionary right turn while driving a patrol van and collided with a motorcycle.

As a result, the motorcyclist, Mr Wang Xiaoyong, 44, suffered severe brain injury and lost eight teeth.

On Monday, Johann Pak Zhuo-En, 26, was also disqualified from driving for five years after he pleaded guilty to one count of driving without reasonable consideration for others using the road.

Defence lawyer Laurence Goh said in court that Pak is still with the Singapore Police Force.

In response to queries, the police said they initiated investigations against Pak and immediately suspended his driving licence after the accident.

They have also commenced internal action against Pak following his conviction on Monday, said a spokesman.

“Officers of the Singapore Police Force are expected to uphold the law and maintain the highest standards of conduct. We deal with officers who break the law accordingly, including charging them in court,” the police added.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Hidayat Amir said that on Aug 23, 2020, at around 10.40pm, Pak was driving a police van with four other officers on board. They had been tasked to carry out patrolling duties in Geylang.

At the time of the accident, Pak was a sergeant attached to Bedok Police Division.

Pak drove along Aljunied Road towards Upper Aljunied Road, and made a discretionary right turn into Sims Avenue when the traffic light in his direction was green.

At the same time, Mr Wang was travelling straight along Aljunied Road towards Guillemard Road from the opposite direction.

DPP Hidayat said the traffic light was amber as Mr Wang passed the stop line, thus he had right of way over Pak.

But Pak failed to give way to him, resulting in the van colliding with the front of the motorcycle. Pak immediately stopped the van and an ambulance was called.

Scratches and cracks were found at the front of the motorcycle and its crash bar was dented. Dents were also found on the left side of the van and its windows were shattered.

Mr Wang was conscious when he was taken to hospital, where he was given hospitalisation leave for 147 days.

A medical report said he had suffered severe traumatic brain injury and multiple skull and facial fractures. He also lost eight teeth and fractured his jaw.

While Mr Wang had no significant motor impairments related to his brain injury, he had slow gait speed and reduced walking capacity prior to his discharge, the DPP said.

A year after the accident, he was found to be still suffering from residual cognitive impairments in attention, short-term memory and executive function.

A medical report dated September 2022 said Mr Wang was medically stable without new complications of post-traumatic seizures, behavioural issues, chronic pain or functional decline.

Seeking two to three months’ jail for Pak, DPP Hidayat said the harm caused to Mr Wang was “indisputably serious”.

“Even a year later, the victim was still found to have severe impairments of memory recall. It was only in January 2022 that it could be ascertained that there was no permanent disability. Even then, the victim had to continue residing in a nursing home until July 2022,” he added.

In mitigation, Mr Goh said Mr Wang had not suffered permanent disability, and noted that his client was not speeding at the time and was remorseful for what happened.

For causing grievous hurt by driving without reasonable consideration, an offender can be jailed for up to two years, fined up to $5,000, or both.