Man fined $3,000 for crashing boat into coast guard vessel while drunk
He drank with some friends in the evening and was still intoxicated when he left his fish farm on his Singapore-registered boat later that night.
As he made his way to Punggol Marina Country Club, Tan Choon Teck, 56, lost control of the vessel off Pulau Ubin and crashed into a stationary Police Coast Guard (PCG) vessel.
Yesterday, Tan was fined $3,000 after pleading guilty to navigating his boat rashly.
Tan drank with two friends on Pulau Ubin at about 5pm on Sept 23 last year, and ordered a bottle of Martell VSOP.
An hour later, he took the bottle to his boat and steered it back to his fish farm north of the island.
Tan used the boat to travel between the farm and Singapore's mainland, Deputy Public Prosecutor Edwin Soh told District Judge Edgar Foo.
Tan left the farm for the country club at about 10pm and collided into the PCG craft 30 minutes later. The weather was fine at the time.
The crew on board the police vessel were not injured but the craft sustained some damage, including several graze marks.
It required nearly $9,000 worth of repairs and Tan has made full restitution.
He had also scratched and bruised both knees.
The crew commander of the PCG vessel reported the collision and went to check on Tan.
The half-filled bottle of liquor was found on the boat.
Tan reeked of alcohol, had bloodshot eyes and failed two breathalyser tests.
DPP Soh said Tan knew that by steering his boat while drunk, he ran the risk of losing control and causing a crash.
"Knowing this risk, the accused nevertheless continued to steer his boat while intoxicated," the DPP added.
For navigating a vessel in a rash manner endangering human life, he could have been jailed for up to a year, fined up to $5,000, or both.
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