Driver speeds through Paya Lebar roadblock and abandons BMW in Punggol, nabbed after 7-day manhunt
A 34-year-old BMW driver will be charged in court on Feb 26 for evasion of a police roadblock, dangerous driving and other traffic offences.
He was arrested on Feb 24 after abandoning his vehicle in Punggol.
The red BMW had sped through the checkpoint at Airport Road towards Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway on Feb 17 at about 2.45am, said the police in a news release. It was the first day of Chinese New Year.
Officers gave chase, and during the hour-long pursuit, the driver drove dangerously, running several red lights. He eventually abandoned his car at Block 122A Edgedale Plains and fled on foot.
A video of police cars in the area was posted on Telegram.
The driver was nabbed after a seven-day manhunt involving extensive ground inquiries with the aid of images from CCTV cameras.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the man was driving a deregistered car with a cloned number plate and without a valid driving licence.
Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Daniel Tan, who is Commander of Traffic Police, commended his officers for their tenacity in tracking down the driver.
He added that the police will spare no effort to bring to justice motorists who operate deregistered vehicles or commit serious traffic offences without valid driving licences.
The driver will be charged in court for the following offences:
- Evasion of a police roadblock, which carries a fine of up to $10,000, a jail term of up to seven years or both.
- Dangerous driving, which carries a fine of up to $5,000, a jail term of up to 12 months or both, and disqualification from driving all classes of vehicles.
- Driving without a valid licence, which carries a fine of up to $10,000, or a jail term of up to three years, or both.
- Using a motor vehicle without insurance coverage, which carries a fine of up to $1,000, a jail term of up to three months, or both.
- Using a deregistered vehicle, which carries a fine of up to $2,000, a jail term of up to three months or both.
- Using a vehicle without a licence, which carries a fine of up to $2,000.
- Using a vehicle with a false number plate, which carries a fine of up to $10,000.
The man may also face disqualification from driving all classes of vehicles.
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