Road rage: S$4,500 fine for van driver who threatened fellow motorist with hammer in Tampines
Chan Bock Seng at the State Courts on May 15, 2024.
SINGAPORE — A 63-year-old van driver was ordered to pay a S$4,500 fine on Wednesday (May 15) for exhibiting road rage towards a fellow motorist and holding a hammer in front of the person's car following a traffic dispute in Tampines.
Chan Bock Seng pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour to cause alarm to another person.
He had operated a handyman services company at the time of his offences and was driving a van for his work.
WHAT HAPPENED
On Jan 29 this year at around 9.30pm, the victim, 46-year-old Toh Keng Hoe, made a police report after a confrontation with Chan at 936 Tampines Avenue 5.
About 6.30pm that day, both of them were driving in the same direction, but in different lanes, along Tampines Avenue 5.
When Chan tried to switch to the victim's lane, Mr Toh felt that Chan's van was too close to his car and turned on his high-beam headlights to alert Chan, which angered him.
At around 6.35pm, both vehicles stopped at the junction of Tampines Avenue 1 and Tampines Avenue 5, and Chan went over to the Mr Toh's car to confront him.
He knocked on the car's side window and door several times, but Mr Toh did not respond.
Frustrated, Chan retrieved a hammer from the toolbox in his van and stood in front of Mr Toh's car. He held the hammer in his right hand while pointing aggressively at Mr Toh with his other hand.
Court documents stated that Mr Toh felt threatened by Chan’s actions and was worried for his safety.
Chan eventually went back to his van and both parties parted ways.
In a sentencing submission on Wednesday, Deputy Public Prosecutor Natalie Chu sought a fine of S$5,000, adding that the offender had caused “considerable alarm” to the victim by holding a hammer in front of his vehicle.
Chan, who was not represented by a lawyer, pleaded with the court for a lighter sentence.
In sentencing, District Judge Brenda Chua said that she had taken into account Chan's mitigating factors, while noting that no damage had been caused to Mr Toh’s vehicle.
For his offence, Chan could have been jailed for up to six months or fined up to S$5,000, or both.
