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Driver crashes repeatedly into police car
The New Paper
Sun, Jun 12, 2011
http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/Crime/Story/A1Story20110612-283694.html
<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/a7oNcjaBI7k" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
FROM her flat, Mazrifa "Eyfa" Mustafa was watching her mother and little sister play at the playground downstairs when she heard a loud crashing sound.
Realising something had happened, the ITE College East student rushed down from her third-storey HDB flat at Block 25, Jalan Berseh, in the Jalan Besar area.
She reached the ground floor just in time to see a red car crashing into the back of a police patrol car.
Mazrifa, 19, reacted instinctively. She whipped out her mobile phone and started filming the scene before her.
What happened shocked her.
She saw the red car reverse and crash into the back of the police vehicle.
It then went forward and came to a stop, before reversing and hitting the back of the police car again.
The red car then swerved left onto a grass patch and crashed into a "no football" sign and a bicycle chained to it.
By then, a large crowd of mostly residents had gathered to watch the commotion, which happened at about 10pm on Thursday.
Said Mazrifa: "Some were holding stools, rocks and even bicycles and were trying to throw them at the car because the driver refused to come out of the car."
Others hurled vulgarities at the driver as more patrol cars arrived.
A police officer was then seen using his baton to smash the driver's window to open the car door.
VERY STRONG
The man was dragged out, but he struggled and tried to escape. Witnesses said he punched a police officer and tried to run.
But other officers and bystanders caught him and wrestled him to the ground.
Said Mazrifa: "The man was very strong, so the police were not able to pin him down at first.
"A shirtless man rushed to help the police hold down the man so he could be handcuffed."
The handcuffed man was taken away.
A woman, who had stepped out of the car during the commotion, was later also arrested.
Police found marker pens and tins of paint in the suspect's car.
A packet of crystalline substance, believed to be drugs, was also found in the car.
Police said the 31-year-old man was arrested for drug-related offences, suspected involvement in loansharking activities, using criminal force against a public servant and suspected involvement in a case of robbery.
The drama began when police officers were conducting patrols and spotted a car parked at the foot of the block.
The officers checked the car and requested for the suspect to exit the car.
He refused and tried to leave the scene by driving off in a dangerous manner, resulting in a collision with the stationary police car.
The suspect was later taken to hospital for scratches and abrasions suffered as a result of the struggle.
A police officer was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital to treat a cut on his forehead.
The suspect is expected to be charged today under Section 332 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from his duty.
If found guilty, he faces up to seven years in jail , a fine and caning.
The 26-year-old woman, who was in the suspect's car during the incident, was also arrested for drug-related offences and suspected involvement in loansharking activities.
She has been referred to Central Narcotics Bureau for further investigations.
CRIMINAL FORCE
The director of operations, Assistant Commissioner of Police Lim Kok Thai, said: "This incident represents a blatant disregard for the duty of the police.
"Anyone who thinks they can take the law into their own hands by using criminal force against public servants to deter them from discharging their duties is sadly mistaken, and can expect to be fully dealt with by the law."
On the residents' behaviour towards the suspects, Mazrifa's mother, Madam Maz, 43, a housewife, said many were angry with the driver because of his reckless behaviour.
She said: "Many children play at the playground downstairs. Even late at night, people would sit around at the nearby benches. He could have killed people."
Mazrifa said her father, too, had joined in on the action.
"He didn't even bother putting on a shirt. When he heard the commotion, he immediately ran downstairs and tried to look for a rock to throw at the car.
"When he couldn't find any rocks, he picked up a green dustbin and threw it instead."
This article was first published in The New Paper.
The New Paper
Sun, Jun 12, 2011
http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/Crime/Story/A1Story20110612-283694.html
<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/a7oNcjaBI7k" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
FROM her flat, Mazrifa "Eyfa" Mustafa was watching her mother and little sister play at the playground downstairs when she heard a loud crashing sound.
Realising something had happened, the ITE College East student rushed down from her third-storey HDB flat at Block 25, Jalan Berseh, in the Jalan Besar area.
She reached the ground floor just in time to see a red car crashing into the back of a police patrol car.
Mazrifa, 19, reacted instinctively. She whipped out her mobile phone and started filming the scene before her.
What happened shocked her.
She saw the red car reverse and crash into the back of the police vehicle.
It then went forward and came to a stop, before reversing and hitting the back of the police car again.
The red car then swerved left onto a grass patch and crashed into a "no football" sign and a bicycle chained to it.
By then, a large crowd of mostly residents had gathered to watch the commotion, which happened at about 10pm on Thursday.
Said Mazrifa: "Some were holding stools, rocks and even bicycles and were trying to throw them at the car because the driver refused to come out of the car."
Others hurled vulgarities at the driver as more patrol cars arrived.
A police officer was then seen using his baton to smash the driver's window to open the car door.
VERY STRONG
The man was dragged out, but he struggled and tried to escape. Witnesses said he punched a police officer and tried to run.
But other officers and bystanders caught him and wrestled him to the ground.
Said Mazrifa: "The man was very strong, so the police were not able to pin him down at first.
"A shirtless man rushed to help the police hold down the man so he could be handcuffed."
The handcuffed man was taken away.
A woman, who had stepped out of the car during the commotion, was later also arrested.
Police found marker pens and tins of paint in the suspect's car.
A packet of crystalline substance, believed to be drugs, was also found in the car.
Police said the 31-year-old man was arrested for drug-related offences, suspected involvement in loansharking activities, using criminal force against a public servant and suspected involvement in a case of robbery.
The drama began when police officers were conducting patrols and spotted a car parked at the foot of the block.
The officers checked the car and requested for the suspect to exit the car.
He refused and tried to leave the scene by driving off in a dangerous manner, resulting in a collision with the stationary police car.
The suspect was later taken to hospital for scratches and abrasions suffered as a result of the struggle.
A police officer was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital to treat a cut on his forehead.
The suspect is expected to be charged today under Section 332 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from his duty.
If found guilty, he faces up to seven years in jail , a fine and caning.
The 26-year-old woman, who was in the suspect's car during the incident, was also arrested for drug-related offences and suspected involvement in loansharking activities.
She has been referred to Central Narcotics Bureau for further investigations.
CRIMINAL FORCE
The director of operations, Assistant Commissioner of Police Lim Kok Thai, said: "This incident represents a blatant disregard for the duty of the police.
"Anyone who thinks they can take the law into their own hands by using criminal force against public servants to deter them from discharging their duties is sadly mistaken, and can expect to be fully dealt with by the law."
On the residents' behaviour towards the suspects, Mazrifa's mother, Madam Maz, 43, a housewife, said many were angry with the driver because of his reckless behaviour.
She said: "Many children play at the playground downstairs. Even late at night, people would sit around at the nearby benches. He could have killed people."
Mazrifa said her father, too, had joined in on the action.
"He didn't even bother putting on a shirt. When he heard the commotion, he immediately ran downstairs and tried to look for a rock to throw at the car.
"When he couldn't find any rocks, he picked up a green dustbin and threw it instead."
This article was first published in The New Paper.
