Cabby arrested for allegedly rolling up cab window on traffic police's arm, dragging him on the road
A 69-year-old cab driver was arrested on Sunday for allegedly rolling up his window on a traffic police officer's arm and driving off, dragging the officer on the road for a few metres.
The 34-year-old officer was patrolling the Holland Road area at 5.15pm when he spotted the cab driver using his mobile phone while driving and signalled the cabby to stop. The driver ignored the signals and continued driving, the police said on Wednesday.
The officer followed him on his motorcycle and managed to stop the taxi driver along Farrer Road.
When the driver was asked to provide his particulars, he was uncooperative and refused to do so, the police said.
Fearing that the cabby may drive off, the officer reached his arm into the vehicle to turn off the ignition.
The driver then allegedly rolled up his window and drove off before the officer could remove his arm.
As a result, the officer was dragged along the road for a few metres before the driver stopped and wound down the window.
In a video posted on YouTube by SG Road Vigilante, a traffic police officer can be seen with his hand trapped in the window of a yellow CityCab taxi parked at the side of the road. The window seems to be almost fully wound up.
The taxi driver was arrested for voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from discharging his duty. The officer was conscious when he was taken to hospital and received outpatient treatment.
The offence of voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from discharging his duty carries a jail term of up to seven years and a fine or caning.
Under the Road Traffic Act, it is an offence for a driver to hold a mobile communication device in his hand and operate it while driving on a road or in a public place. If found guilty, the offender faces a maximum jail term of six months and a fine of up to $1,000.
The police urged all motorists to drive safely and abide by traffic rules.
The Straits Times has contacted ComfortDelGro, which runs CityCab, for comment.
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