Detention order for teen tourist who crashed into pedestrian on e-scooter
A Vietnamese teenager who was here to visit friends borrowed an overweight e-scooter and rode it against traffic before hitting a pedestrian.
Yesterday, Nguyen Doan Nam, 17, was sentenced to a short detention order of seven days.
He pleaded guilty to causing hurt by committing a rash act that endangered the personal safety of others.
Two other charges under the Road Traffic Act were taken into consideration for sentencing.
He arrived in Singapore on a social visit pass in April.
In May, Nguyen borrowed an e-scooter from his friend as he wanted to use it to buy food from a nearby supermarket.
He rode to the supermarket with another friend as a pillion rider.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Kenneth Chin said while on the way back, Nguyen rode the e-scooter along Geylang Road in the direction of Kallang Road against the flow of traffic, sticking close to the kerb.
Meanwhile, the victim, a 37-year-old man, was crossing the road.
Nguyen hit him and the man flew forward by about half a metre and landed on the ground.
He sustained abrasions on his elbow and knee, and got a cut on his left foot.
Nguyen and his pillion rider were unhurt.
The victim was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where he was given four days' medical leave.
Investigations later revealed the e-scooter was bought in Malaysia and was non-compliant as it weighed more than 20kg. It was also unregistered.
DPP Chin called the manner in which Nguyen rode the e-scooter egregious as he was riding at a relatively fast speed.
Although the victim had been jaywalking, DPP Chin added it did not reduce Nguyen's culpability.
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