Man rode damaged e-bike into woman hours after collision with dog owner, gets jail

SINGAPORE: Despite riding his electric bicycle into the back of a man walking his dog and causing injuries, a man continued to ride the damaged device the next morning, this time manually pedalling into the back of a woman.

For the offences that resulted in abrasions, bruises and a chipped tooth for the two victims, 41-year-old Singaporean Peh Zhiliang was sentenced to 24 days’ jail on Monday (Sep 9).

He pleaded guilty to two counts of a rash act endangering personal safety by riding towards the victims without slowing down.

The court heard that Peh was riding a power-assisted bicycle at a speed of about 20kmh down a slope along Pang Sua Park Connector at about 11pm on Nov 8 last year.

The first victim, a 71-year-old man, was walking his dog along the park connector near the back gate of Windermere Condominium in Choa Chu Kang.

Peh rode his e-bike towards the victim, approaching from the back. Although he saw the victim from a distance, he maintained his speed and continued riding towards him.

He tried to swerve to the right at the last moment to avoid the victim, but could not.

Closed-circuit television footage played in court showed Peh zooming down the path at an unbroken speed before colliding with the victim and his dog.

The victim fell to the ground and struggled to sit up. Peh began recovering his e-bike and the contents that had fallen out of it.

The victim’s neighbour, who happened to pass by, attended to him while Peh continued packing his belongings and inspecting his e-bike.

He left the scene after providing his particulars to the victim’s son.

The victim was taken to hospital with a minor head injury, bruises to his shoulder and abrasions on his face, arms and knee.

He was monitored overnight and later discharged, but went to seek medical attention for a chipped tooth. The doctor noted a “porcelain fracture measuring in excess of 2mm” and another “very tender” tooth.

RODE AGAIN

The next morning, just after 7am, Peh took to his e-bike again at the same park connector. However, because the ignition and front brake of the device had been damaged from the accident, he had to manually pedal it.

He spotted a 25-year-old woman who was taking a walk, but maintained his speed of about 5kmh to 8kmh and continued cycling towards the woman.

Peh ended up colliding into her from the back, causing her to fall forward and hit her head.

An elderly couple helped the woman up, while Peh quickly got up and gathered his belongings from the ground.

He gave the woman his mobile number and initially rode off without apologising.

However, he returned and offered to wait with the woman for the private-hire vehicle she had booked to take her to hospital.

As he waited with her, Peh asked if she was okay and if she was agreeable to settle the medical bills “privately”. The woman’s answer was not indicated in court documents.

She was diagnosed with a deep abrasion on her elbow, a bruise on her forehead and abrasions on her knee and head.

Peh has previous convictions for driving without a licence or insurance, disorderly behaviour and using abusive and insulting words towards a public servant.

The prosecutor sought four to six weeks’ jail for Peh, saying he had committed “very similar offences” the night before, then the next morning.

He said this showed that Peh had not learnt from the accident he caused to the first victim, whom he “barrelled” towards.

The very next morning, Peh maintained his speed despite seeing the woman from a distance, even though he knew his brake mechanism had been damaged from the night before.

“What is even more aggravating in the present case is that the accused had demonstrated a lack of remorse and insight into his wrongdoing,” said the prosecutor. 

“The accused failed to render immediate assistance after both accidents and was more preoccupied with his personal belongings than the injured victim before him,” he added.

“Further, instead of learning from his mistake and attempting to ride more safely, the accused caused a completely unnecessary second incident which would not have happened but for the accused’s disregard for the personal safety of others.”

Peh’s lawyer, Mr Mohamad Hasbu Haneef Abdul Malik from Trident Law, asked for three weeks’ jail instead.

He said his client was remorseful and regrets his wrongdoing, which is why he pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.

He said Peh complied with the police, responding promptly when the investigating officer sent him a message despite the late hour.

Mr Haneef said Peh’s wife “is not doing so well”, but Peh did not resist two days in lock-up. Peh had come to court pushing a woman in a wheelchair.

His lawyer argued against the prosecution’s submission that Peh had failed to render immediate assistance to the victims.

“After the hit (for the first incident), he did go up to (the victim) and said are you okay, do you need help,” said Mr Haneef. 

“His instructions are (the victim) said don’t touch me.”

He said Peh then gathered his belongings as he did not want to agitate the victim further, or to obstruct the pathway.

For the second incident, Mr Haneef said Peh had gone off to park his bike before returning to help the woman.

For each count of a rash act endangering personal safety, Peh could have been jailed for up to a year, fined up to S$5,000, or both.