A lorry driver lost control of his vehicle which skidded towards diners at Sembawang Road -- only to be stopped by a Audi parked near them.
According to The Straits Times, Mr Ramli Akbar, the driver, had been taking shipyard workers home when the vehicle ran into the kerb at a junction before careening across four lanes of Sembawang Road into a tree and tipping over onto its side.
The white lorry then skidded for about three metres before crashing into the white Audi sedan parked in front of a seafood restaurant.
It had been ferrying three foreign workers in its back and three locals in its front.
While the other workers escaped with superficial injuries, Mr Chala Kannan, a worker from India, in his 30s, was taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.
He later regained consciousness and yesterday was being treated for a broken finger.
The accident happened around 9.10pm on Monday at the junction of Sembawang Road and Admiralty Road East.
The 42-year-old driver, Mr Ramli Akbar, was arrested. The Straits Times understands that a pill was found on him and it has been sent to the Central Narcotics Bureau for testing.
According to supervisor Mr Mohana Velan, 48, who was in charge of the other five workers, they approached the T-junction on a right-turn only lane when Mr Ramli realised the car in front was not moving off, despite a green light.
"We were coming near and the car still didn't move, so he took a sharp left to avoid it and hit the divider," said Mr Mohana, who suffered cuts and bruises.
Mr Ramli was known to take extra-strength paracetamol to relieve aches on occasion, said Mr Mohana.
