A 42-year-old Mercedes-Benz driver was arrested for suspected drink driving after his car mounted a kerb and struck two pedestrians near Esplanade Mall on the evening of 16 September.
The accident happened at around 10pm along Raffles Avenue, according to a report by Shin Min Daily News. One of the pedestrians, a woman visiting Singapore from China, reportedly suffered a spinal fracture and was told she would require surgery.
The woman had been travelling with a group of colleagues when the incident occurred. Witnesses described seeing her lying on the ground after being hit, while members of the public stopped to assist and contacted emergency services.
Woman reportedly suffered spinal fracture
A witness told Shin Min Daily News that the injured woman appeared to remain conscious following the collision. She was reportedly seen touching her lower back while waiting for help to arrive.
One of her colleagues, identified by the surname Zhou, was also involved in the accident. He reportedly told the newspaper that the group had been walking towards a bus stop when the Mercedes suddenly struck his colleague, who had been walking ahead of him.
The impact caused the woman to collide with Zhou, sending him into a concrete roadside bollard. He sustained an abrasion to his arm and initially believed his injuries were relatively minor.
Zhou later experienced chest tightness and dizziness and was taken to hospital. He was subsequently discharged the following day.
According to Zhou, his female colleague suffered significantly more serious injuries. Medical staff reportedly told her that she had sustained a spinal fracture and would need surgery. Her family in China was informed and was reportedly travelling to Singapore following the accident.
Driver arrested at scene
Photographs from the scene showed a Mercedes-Benz sedan that had left the carriageway and ended up on the roadside. The vehicle’s airbags had deployed and significant damage was visible at the front.
The driver, who was reportedly wearing a white shirt, was questioned by police at the scene. He was later escorted away at around 11pm.
The Singapore Police Force said it had been alerted at about 10pm to an accident involving a car and two pedestrians along Raffles Avenue. The 42-year-old male driver was arrested for suspected drink driving and is assisting with investigations.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force confirmed that a 40-year-old woman and a 41-year-old man were taken to hospital while conscious.
Witnesses make further claims
A separate witness reportedly told Shin Min that the driver did not immediately approach the injured woman after exiting the vehicle. Instead, he allegedly ran towards bushes behind the area.
The witness also claimed that the driver appeared to smell strongly of alcohol and was attempting to remain composed following the collision.
Another allegation was that the driver attempted to sh