A 38-year-old male cyclist gestured towards a car to “watch out” after he felt that they were driving too close to him, and the female driver and her male passenger then alighted from the vehicle to argue with the cyclist before beating him up.
The female driver, identified as Ariel Fong, aged 30, and her male passenger, Phua Xuan Yew Javier, aged 28, pleaded guilty on 30 May to one charge of voluntarily causing harm to the cyclist. The court imposed a fine of S$4,000 on Fong, taking into consideration another similar charge, while Phua received a fine of S$3,500.
What happened?
According to court documents, on the day of the incident, Fong picked up Phua from Bugis at approximately 10 pm and was en route to drop him off at his home around 11 pm. As Fong encountered parked cars along her side of the two-lane road, she made the decision to overtake them and drove into the opposite lane.
At the same time, the male cyclist and his female cyclist friend were riding their bicycles towards Fong’s vehicle in the opposite lane. Sensing that Fong was driving too closely, the cyclist vocalized his concern by shouting, “Watch out!” while making a hand gesture directed at the car.
Fong continued driving after passing the cyclist but eventually stopped the car, claiming to have heard a noise at the rear. When she inspected the situation, she noticed the cyclist had dismounted his bicycle and was gesturing towards her.
This prompted Fong to approach the cyclist, and Phua followed suit. A heated argument ensued between Fong and the cyclist regarding the right of way. In the midst of the altercation, the cyclist allegedly swung his bicycle at Fong, surprising Phua, who promptly intervened by pushing the cyclist away from Fong.
Angrily, Fong retaliated by forcibly removing the cyclist’s mask to identify him, which led to him questioning her actions. Attempting to leave the scene with his friend and seek refuge in a nearby condominium, the cyclist found himself restrained as Fong grabbed his shirt and began physically assaulting him. Phua joined in by striking the cyclist’s head.
The cyclist’s friend intervened, trying to halt the assault. However, Fong redirected her aggression towards the friend, resorting to kicking and pulling her hair. Witnessing this, the cyclist managed to break free from Phua’s grip, rescuing his friend from Fong’s attack.
Subsequently, the cyclist’s friend sought assistance from the security guard at the entrance of The Cristallo condominium, requesting police intervention. Simultaneously, the cyclist attempted to reach the guardhouse but was grabbed from behind by Phua, who proceeded to strike him in the head. The scuffle continued, resulting in both individuals falling to the ground.
Fong re-engaged in the altercation, repeatedly punching the cyclist’s face and head, as well as kicking his body. Eventually, the cyclist’s friend managed to separate them and brought the injured cyclist to the guardhouse for safety.
Fong and Phua left the scene in their car and returned home before the arrival of the police.
The following day, the cyclist sought medical treatment at a polyclinic, where it was revealed he had a 1cm laceration on his lower lip, multiple abrasions on the back of his head, bruising on his left cheekbone and nose, and a mildly displaced nose fracture. He was issued a two-day medical leave and subsequently visited Changi General Hospital for a review of his injuries. Additionally, he consulted an ear, nose, and throat specialist to address the specific issues caused by the incident. The cyclist’s medical expenses totaled S$1,066.65.
Fong and Phua then compensated the cyclist’s medical expenses.