Driver dozed off drunk, dragged cop who reached into his car to turn off engine
Shaffiq Alkhatib
The Straits Times
Septembe 23, 2025
A motorist who had dozed off at the wheel following a drinking session drove his car forward after a policeman extended his arm through a window of the vehicle to try to turn off its engine.
As a result, the officer was "dragged a couple of metres forward" and ended up with a bruised upper left arm.
On Sept 23, the motorist, Lew Voon Kim, 61, was sentenced to seven days' jail. He was also disqualified from holding or obtaining all classes of driving licences for a year from his release date.
District Judge Lorraine Ho had earlier convicted Lew, after a trial, of causing hurt to Station Inspector Mohammad Daniel Zulkarnain Ahmad Farid by performing a rash act.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Xavier Tan stated in his submissions that Lew had gone behind the wheel of his car after consuming alcohol on July 5, 2023.
He nodded off near the cross-junction of Lorong 6 Toa Payoh and Toa Payoh East, causing his vehicle to stop in the middle of the road with its engine still running.
Station Insp Daniel and his colleague, Special Constable Marcus Yap, later approached the car.
After telling Lew to alight, Station Insp Daniel reached into the car through a window on the driver's side to turn off the engine.
Special Constable Yap testified during the trial that he was nearby when he saw his colleague putting an arm through the window, followed by a "fast, rapid movement of the car (going) forward". He added that it was due to "a press of the accelerator".
Station Insp Daniel's testimony was similar as he told Judge Ho that the car "suddenly surged" and he was dragged forward.
DPP Tan said: "He testified that the accelerator definitely had to be depressed for the car to surge in that fashion."
Lew, who was represented by lawyers Choo Si Sen and Choo Yean Lin, denied stepping on the accelerator.
The DPP said the evidence Lew had given was full of contradictions.
Among other things, he had told the authorities in an earlier statement that his foot was on the floor of the car - not on the accelerator or brake pedal. But during the trial, the prosecution said Lew had testified that his foot was on the brake pedal instead.
Similarly, when asked where Station Insp Daniel's hand was placed on the car, Lew said in his statement: "He placed it on the top of the window that was partially open." But during the trial, he told Judge Ho that the officer's hands were on the frame of the windscreen.
DPP Tan said: "The accused not only gave inconsistent evidence... (he) was also an evasive witness on the stand. On multiple occasions, he repeatedly refused to answer simple questions and demonstrated a penchant for giving long-winded answers."
Lew's bail was set at $10,000 on Sept 23 and he is expected to begin serving his sentence on Oct 14.
