TV host gets fine, driving ban for hitting pedestrian

SINGAPORE - MediaCorp artiste and popular Channel 8 TV host Chuan Yi Fong - better known as Quan Yifeng - was fined $800 and disqualified three months from driving yesterday, after she pleaded guilty to one charge of inconsiderate driving.

Quan is said to have knocked Raman Selvaraj, 28, down at the junction of Selegie Road and Sungei Road on the morning of July 2.

But she immediately pulled over and rendered assistance to the man, who suffered a laceration to the back of his head, abrasions on his left elbow, and pain in his left hip.

She also offered compensation of $1,000, and suggested paying for all his medical expenses.

This is her third brush with the law here. In 1996, she was convicted of fighting, and in 2011 was placed on 15 months' probation for committing mischief in an altercation she had with a taxi driver.

In mitigation, her lawyer, David Ng of Elitaire Law, said that the 40-year-old is "most remorseful" for her actions and hopes that she could be given a second chance.

She said it was an "error of judgment" that led to the accident, because she took the cue from a vehicle in front of her that was turning and she failed to notice there was a pedestrian crossing at the junction.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Allison Phua said that Quan was driving the car on Selegie Road towards Serangoon Road when she stopped her car at the junction of Selegie Road and Sungei Road, with the traffic light showing red in her direction.

When the traffic lights turned green, she moved forward, making a right turn but neglecting to check whether there were pedestrians crossing.

Investigations revealed that she noticed Mr Selvaraj too late, and was unable to stop in time, though she applied the brakes.

Quan told reporters she was truly sorry for the accident. It was raining heavily on the day of the accident, and when she saw that she had knocked into someone, "her heart sank", Shin Min Daily News reported.

She got out of the car to check on the man immediately, she said, and went with him to the hospital, as well as to the police to file a report.

"He (Mr Selvaraj) even tried to comfort me, saying he was fine, and said he hoped I was too," she added.

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