Food deliveryman jailed for riding e-scooter at high speed into woman on footpath, causing fractures

SINGAPORE: A Grab delivery rider was jailed seven weeks and fined S$500 on Monday (Jul 5) after he rode his electric scooter along a path in Sengkang last year and collided with a woman, injuring her.

The victim, who is a hairstylist, fractured her pelvis and elbow, and said she felt "handicapped" at work as she was not able to carry out routine jobs nor stand for too long.

Samuel Lim Yong Choon, 38, pleaded guilty to a charge each of causing grievous hurt by a rash act endangering personal safety and riding a motorised personal mobility device (PMD) on a footpath.

A third charge was considered in sentencing.

The court heard that Lim was riding the e-scooter on a footpath along Rivervale Drive at about 1.50pm on Apr 29 last year.

The victim, 35, walked down the staircase from Kangkar LRT station and stepped onto the path along Rivervale Drive.

She saw Lim riding his motorised PMD at a very fast speed. He failed to keep a proper lookout and did not reduce his speed, even though he was on a footpath for pedestrians.

As he neared the victim, he tried to brake but flew forward instead, colliding with the woman. The woman fell to the ground and began crying, court documents stated.

A crowd gathered around the victim and the accused. The victim asked Lim for his NRIC, but he refused to give it to her.

He tried to leave at about 2pm on his device, but was stopped by the victim and a member of the public. He eventually showed the victim his NRIC.

Later, Lim admitted that he did not give her his particulars as he was afraid of losing his job as a Grab delivery rider.

Helped by a member of the public, Lim assisted the victim to a nearby clinic and paid her S$50 bill. The victim was taken to hospital and diagnosed with fractures of her elbow and pelvis.

She was given 93 days of outpatient and hospitalisation leave, and incurred S$937.67 in bills, which Lim repaid.

In a statement given in January this year, the victim said developed a fear of walking along pavements as there were still many bicycles and e-scooters around.

She said she had to undergo six sessions of physiotherapy and felt "handicapped at work" as she could not carry out routine jobs such as drying or cutting hair and mixing hair dye.

She also said the stiffness in her pelvic area made her unable to stand for too long, which was required in her work, and that she was told she would only be able to run and exercise in a year's time.  

The prosecutor asked for seven weeks' jail and a fine, noting that the accused had tried to flee. However, she acknowledged that Lim had pleaded guilty and made full restitution.

For causing grievous hurt by a rash act, Lim could have been jailed up to four years, fined up to S$10,000 or both.

For riding a motorised PMD on a footpath, he could have been jailed up to three months, fined up to S$2,000 or both.