41-year-old K Predeep Ram was sentenced earlier today (16 August) to 21 months and 2 weeks of imprisonment after pleading guilty to 4 charges that include driving dangerously and causing grievous hurt, as well as using insulting language to a police officer.
He was also fined $5,000 and banned from driving for 10 years.
He had breached covid-19 measures to meet up with his friends to drink alcohol, before getting drunk and dragging one of his friends along the road with a vehicle, according to The Straits Times.
An Ill-Fated Gathering
On the evening of May 24, 2020, K Pradeep Ram and his friend Pravin decided to meet at a mutual friend’s house for dinner and drinks. Ignoring the restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the virus, the trio gathered for a social gathering.
As the night progressed and alcohol flowed freely, the atmosphere grew increasingly charged. In their inebriated state, Pradeep and Pravin began to engage in a physical altercation, fueled by alcohol-fueled aggression.
The situation took a perilous turn when they started using road traffic cones as improvised weapons, turning a drunken scuffle into a potentially dangerous situation.
The events took an even darker turn when, at around 4.45am, Pradeep decided to drive Pravin home using his company lorry.
Both men were severely intoxicated at this point. What followed was a shocking display of reckless driving, as Pradeep careened his lorry into a construction barrier and continued driving without stopping. The vehicle swayed dangerously from side to side as it veered along the road.
Tragedy struck when Pradeep’s lorry ran over a road hump, catching Pravin’s clothes and dragging him along the unforgiving road surface.
The lorry circled the carpark with Pravin still trapped beneath it, finally coming to a halt at the exit gantry. The scene was chaotic and horrifying, with Pravin left with severe injuries including an ear laceration, large abrasions on his thighs, arms, and chest, and the need for skin grafts.
Confrontation with Law Enforcement
As the situation escalated, law enforcement officers were called to the scene. Pradeep’s reckless actions had already caused significant harm, but the chaos was far from over.
When approached by a police officer, Pradeep responded with aggression, charging at the officer and using Hokkien vuilgarities on another officer. He was swiftly restrained and handcuffed, but the damage had been done.