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Recalcitrant Maserati driver fined for illegal modfications, has car detained

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A recalcitrant motorist was back in court for the eighth time over an altered exhaust system which he had installed on his Maserati luxury car.

Lee Cheng Yan, 33, had used the vehicle to race in Malaysia, a court heard. Lee was also blamed for causing an accident in Orchard Road last year which resulted in a motorcyclist suffering fractures.

Yesterday, Lee was fined a total of $13,500 after admitting to two counts of using the car which had been altered on July 21 and Nov 21, 2015; one charge each of driving without care and attention, and causing hurt to a motorcyclist by doing an act so negligently as to endanger life.

For causing hurt to Mr Haji Zulkifri Faiz Zanal, 23, he was given the maximum $2,500 fine and banned from driving for nine months.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Gabriel Choong Hefeng said Lee was fined between $600 and $700 on each occasion he was caught between May 2013 and November 2015, for using the car when it had been altered.

The latest and eighth incident happened on Nov 21, 2015. Neighbours had complained five times because of his noisy exhaust system.

But Lee cleared vehicle inspections between July 2012 and March 2015 by renting an exhaust system which had been approved for use by the Registrar of Vehicles, investigations showed. After passing these inspection tests, he would reinstall the modified exhaust system, which was not approved for use.

On May 9 last year, Lee was driving along Orchard Road at around 4.40am when he changed lanes abruptly. He hit a car which collided with the motorcycle. Both the biker and his 26-year-old female pillion rider were thrown off.

Mr Haji Zulkifri was warded for two days with fractures and given two weeks' medical leave, while the pillion rider was warded for one day with multiple abrasions.

Lee was also given the maximum $1,000 fine for driving without due care and attention by failing to give way to traffic in New Upper Changi Road on Aug 16, 2015. He made an unauthorised U-turn along the road and encroached into the path of other motorists, forcing them to apply the brakes and sound their horn to avoid a collision.

District Judge Jasvender Kaur also ordered that the Maserati be detained by the registrar for the maximum period of three months.

COURT & CRIMECarMaseratimodification