Jail for police superintendent who drove carelessly, had almost twice the legal limit of alcohol

SINGAPORE - After drinking alcohol at a Chinese New Year gathering with his family, a police superintendent decided to drive home, despite his wife repeatedly telling him that she should drive instead.

She even suggested that they take a taxi or a book a valet, but he did not heed her advice.

Chan Hee Keong’s careless driving ultimately caused his wife and two sons to get off halfway and make their way home separately.

On May 14, Chan, 51, pleaded guilty to two offences under the Road Traffic Act and was sentenced to two weeks’ jail and a fine of $5,000. He has also been disqualified from driving for three years.

According to the Singapore Government Directory, Chan is the head of operations and intelligence at the Police Security Command.

In response to queries, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said it swiftly initiated investigations against Chan following the incident.

“Now that the case is over, the SPF will commence internal disciplinary action against him,” said the spokesman.

“Officers of the SPF are expected to uphold the law and maintain the highest standards of conduct. We deal strictly with officers who break the law, including charging them in court.”

On the evening of Feb 23, 2024, Chan drove with his wife and two sons to Changi Golf Club, where he drank several glasses of wine and beer, Deputy Public Prosecutor Sarah Siaw told the court.

Chan then got behind the wheel, intending to head home with his family in the car despite being intoxicated.

On the drive home, he wove between lanes and went through a junction, though the traffic light had just turned red.

His wife offered more than 10 times to drive and suggested taking a taxi home instead, but he refused, said the prosecutor.

After almost 30 minutes in the car, his wife and two children got off while the car stopped at a red light and went home on their own.

Chan continued to drive without reasonable consideration for others by speeding up and slowing down unpredictably.

At around 11.45pm, the police received a call from a passer-by who saw Chan vomiting while his car was stopped at a bus bay.

He drove off from the bus bay, but later stopped along a slip road on the Central Expressway for around 40 minutes, causing numerous other vehicles to drive around his car.

Chan was arrested later that night after failing a breathalyser test, which showed he had 67 micrograms (mcg) of alcohol in 100ml of breath – almost twice the legal limit of 35mcg.

The court also heard that he had several compounded offences in the past, including parking and speeding offences.

In her submissions, DPP Siaw said Chan stubbornly persisted in driving despite being given multiple prompts not to do so.

“His car was on the road for over two hours and numerous other road users had to drive around him. His driving endangered not just himself and other road users but even his family,” said the prosecutor.

In mitigation, defence lawyer Navin Naidu said his client is a distinguished officer with a long track record in public service, adding: “He is sorry and wants to apologise to the court for what he did. He is taking responsibility by pleading guilty.”

Mr Navin also noted there was no actual harm done in this case as he did not hurt anyone or damage anything on the road.

Citing other court cases where offenders had damaged property or hurt others, he said: “Ultimately, this is a driver who did not lose control of his car. Was he careless? Yes, but he did not lose control of the car or let it crash anywhere.”

For drink driving, a first-time offender can be jailed for up to a year and fined up to $10,000.