A 46-year-old Chinese national, Chang Qing, had a heated argument with his wife and drove recklessly in an attempt to frighten her, but he ended up crashing his car and almost hitting a police officer with his vehicle.
Chang was sentenced on 11 July to four weeks’ imprisonment and disqualified from driving for two years, according to The Straits Times.
The Argument and Reckless Driving
On January 9, 2022, Chang and his wife, Ms. Lin Jin, had an argument at a coffee shop in Block 422 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3.
Tensions between the two then escalated following a few drinks, leading to their separation by other coffee shop customers who were around at the time.
Concerned by the situation, a witness called the police, and Sergeant Zulaikha Mohd Nasir and her colleague from Ang Mo Kio South Neighbourhood Police Centre were dispatched.
Before the arrival of the police, the couple left the coffeeshop and continued their argument inside their car. Upon exiting the carpark next to Block 422, Chang stopped the car momentarily, before accelerating and crossing both lanes of the road along Ang Mo Kio Street 42, before ultimately crashing after hitting the kerb on the other side of the road.
Chang later told the police that he wanted to scare his wife by driving dangerously because he was frustrated with her.
Near Miss with a Policewoman
Sergeant Zulaikha and her colleague were en route to Block 422 in a police car when they witnessed the collision. Reacting swiftly, they sounded the police car’s horn and Sgt. Zulaikha alighted from the vehicle.
She approached Chang’s car, shouting “stop, stop,” and positioned herself in front of the car to prevent further movement. Despite her attempts to intervene, Chang continued driving, causing Sgt. Zulaikha to jump out of harm’s way.
Following the incident, Chang drove away, but the police caught up with him in Woodlands. He was subsequently arrested after failing a breathalyzer test.
The prosecution highlighted the serious risk Sgt. Zulaikha faced and requested a jail term of eight to twelve weeks, along with a two-year disqualification from driving.
During the court proceedings, Chang pleaded guilty to the charge of driving in a rash manner likely to cause hurt. In his defense, his lawyer, Thomas Tham, explained that Chang was under considerable stress due to his wife’s constant scolding, which had distorted his judgment.
Tham emphasized that Chang’s actions were not a deliberate disregard for law enforcement. Chang, being a first-time offender, is currently out on $2,000 bail, and is reportedly planning to appeal against his sentence.