Merc driver crashed into police car at Somerset Road after 10 beers, causing $2.3k in damages
Andrew Wong
The Straits Times
August 5, 2025
On a night out with his friends, a man had around five glasses of beer before driving more than 20km to his next watering hole.
At the second location, he drank another five glasses of beer before deciding to drive himself home.
Meng Xianglei, 39, who was intoxicated at that point, drove himself straight into a stationary police car along Somerset Road.
On Aug 5, he was sentenced to three weeks' jail, fined $7,000 and disqualified from all classes of driving licences for three years, after he pleaded guilty to one count of driving while under the influence of alcohol and another for driving without due care.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Timothy Ong said Meng had met his friends at around 10pm on April 5, 2024, at a restaurant in Jurong Trade Hub.
After Meng consumed around five glasses of beer, the group decided to proceed to another pub in Geylang.
Meng then drove more than 20km to the Geylang pub, where he consumed another five glasses of beer.
At around 2.30am on April 6, he decided to call it a night and drive himself home to Ang Mo Kio.
As he was passing through Somerset Road towards Grange Road, he failed to spot a stationary police car that had its hazard lights on.
DPP Ong said that at the time, the officers of the vehicle were attending to a separate urgent matter.
Meng then lost control and collided into the police car, damaging the left rear side of the vehicle.
The breathalyser test he was given after arrest recorded 86 micrograms (mcg) of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, more than double the prescribed limit of 35 mcg of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.
"This is a driver who deliberately consumed alcohol in two different places and drove home. This is not a one-time decision. This was a series of decisions made over a period of time," said DPP Ong.
The damage to the police car from the collision cost more than $2,300 to repair. Meng has since made full restitution for the amount.
The offence of driving while under the influence of alcohol carries a fine ranging from $2,000 to $10,000, a jail term of up to 12 months, or both. Repeat offenders may be fined up to $20,000 and jailed for up to two years.
Those who drive without due care or attention can be fined up to $1,500, jailed for up to six months, or both.
