The Police and the Land Transport Authority said in a joint-statement on 10 May that they will be charging two men, the 61-year-old car driver and a 28-year-old car owner, for their suspected involvement in an incident which occurred at Red Swastika School on 11 January 2022.
The incident captured on video where a man driving a white Bentley allegedly decided not to queue when he tried to enter Red Swastika School in early January went viral. The school’s security officer attempted to divert him but the driver accused him of causing a jam outside the school.
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The Bentley driver is the grandfather of a pupil of the school. The security officer, 62, sustained minor injuries from the fracas.
Education Minister Chan Chun Sing in a Facebook post in January criticised the “unacceptable behaviour” of the driver for the “dangerous manoeuvres”. “This is not the way we should behave towards our security and school personnel who are performing their duties to keep our schools and our children safe,” he said.
Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said in April that the case has been referred to the public prosecutor for a decision on the appropriate course of action, and that the police have completed investigations.
The Police said that on 11 January 2022 at about 11.40am, they received a report on a case involving a car driver who was allegedly endangering the safety of a security guard at the school. On the same day, at about 3.35pm, the Police arrested the car driver for rash act causing hurt. Subsequent investigations by Police and LTA revealed that the vehicle’s number plate was purportedly altered, and the driver had driven the vehicle without insurance coverage.
The driver will be charged in court with the offence of rash act causing hurt, and for driving a vehicle without insurance coverage on 11 May 2022.
The owner of the vehicle involved, who is the driver’s son, will also be charged in court on 11 May 2022 with the offence of altering the licence plate number and permitting another individual to use a vehicle without insurance coverage.
The offence of rash act causing hurt carries a jail term up to one year, or fine which may extend to $5,000, or both. Under the Road Traffic Act, those found to have altered their vehicles’ licence plate number may face a jail term of up to one year, or fine not exceeding $5,000, or both.
The offence of using or permitting the use of a vehicle without insurance carries a jail term of up to three months, or fine not exceeding $1,000, or both. In addition, offenders will be disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for a period of 12 months from the date of the conviction.