SINGAPORE - A crane operator drove off and almost hit one of the two policemen standing nearby after they had stopped him at a road block early one morning.

Yeong Wei Siong then drove his car in a dangerous manner and deliberately beat a red light to evade arrest. He was driving at almost twice the speed limit along Commonwealth Avenue West at 3.18am on Oct 15 last year, pursued by policemen in three marked patrol cars.

They eventually lost sight of the car as they had stopped at a signalised junction for safety reasons.

The 44-year-old crane operator was jailed for 18 weeks and banned from driving for three years on Friday (Nov 20) after he admitted to acting rashly to endanger life and dangerous driving at the signalised traffic junction between Commonwealth Avenue West and Clementi Avenue 3.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Si En said six policemen were manning a road block on Clementi Avenue 2 when they stopped Yeong's car at 2.48am.

A screening showed he was "wanted'' for not paying a fine of $500 for buying contraband cigarettes.

When Yeong overheard the officers talking about taking him back to Clementi police station, he decided to run away.

He entered his Honda Civic suddenly, locked the doors and ignored the policemen's signals to unlock them and started his engine.

Despite knowing that Sgt Mohammad Abdul Rani Mohd Yacob and his colleague were standing beside the car, he accelerated out of the parked position. Another policeman, whose hand was still on the car door handle, quickly let go.

Sgt Abdul Rani had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit.

Yeong's lawyer Louis Lim said his client had no intention to harm anyone or cause any damage .

He said Yeong was in a state of shock and panic, and the incidents were occasioned by his momentary lapse of mind and judgment.

Yeong could have been jailed for up to six months and fined up to $2,500 for the rash act. For dangerous driving, the maximum penalty is a $3,000 fine and three years' jail.