A 68-year-old taxi driver paid the price when he was punched so hard during a roadside dispute that he suffered sight-threatening injuries, leaving him unable to continue working. On Aug 28, the court sentenced 26-year-old Marcus Loke Teck Soon to 28 weeks in jail, highlighting the dangers of impulsive aggression behind the wheel.
The road rage incident unfolded on Aug 12, 2022, along the Ayer Rajah Expressway. Loke was driving a van when the taxi driver overtook him. Both vehicles exited the expressway and stopped at a pedestrian crossing near Alexandra Road. Words and gestures escalated the dispute with Loke noticing the cabby flashing an obscene hand gesture. Enraged, he demanded that the older man get out of the taxi. When the driver refused and tried to leave, Loke retaliated by punching him once in the right eye before leaving the scene.
The consequences were severe. The victim suffered a fractured right eye socket and bleeding behind the eyeball, requiring hospitalisation from Aug 12 to Aug 16, 2022. Doctors later confirmed that his vision had been permanently reduced to the point where he could only count fingers. Beyond the medical pain, the taxi driver was forced into early retirement and is now unemployed, relying on daily medication and constant eye care just to cope.What happens when road rage spirals out of control? A 68-year-old taxi driver paid the price when he was punched so hard during a roadside dispute that he suffered sight-threatening injuries, leaving him unable to continue working. On Aug 28, the court sentenced 26-year-old Marcus Loke Teck Soon to 28 weeks in jail, highlighting the dangers of impulsive aggression behind the wheel.
The road rage incident unfolded on Aug 12, 2022, along the Ayer Rajah Expressway. Loke was driving a van when the taxi driver overtook him. Both vehicles exited the expressway and stopped at a pedestrian crossing near Alexandra Road. Words and gestures escalated the dispute with Loke noticing the cabby flashing an obscene hand gesture. Enraged, he demanded that the older man get out of the taxi. When the driver refused and tried to leave, Loke retaliated by punching him once in the right eye before leaving the scene.
The consequences were severe. The victim suffered a fractured right eye socket and bleeding behind the eyeball, requiring hospitalisation from Aug 12 to Aug 16, 2022. Doctors later confirmed that his vision had been permanently reduced to the point where he could only count fingers. Beyond the medical pain, the taxi driver was forced into early retirement and is now unemployed, relying on daily medication and constant eye care just to cope.
But this was not Loke’s only offence. Just months later, on Feb 22, 2023, he was involved in another serious incident. While driving along Kim Seng Road, Loke failed to notice a 74-year-old pedestrian crossing with the right of way. Turning into Havelock Road, his car struck her. She was rendered unconscious and rushed to Singapore General Hospital with a head injury and multiple leg fractures. After 162 days of medical leave, doctors reported that she would likely never regain full function of her right leg and would need walking aids permanently.
In court, Deputy Public Prosecutor Samuel Chew stressed the long-lasting impact of Loke’s violent and reckless behaviour. The elderly taxi driver not only lost his livelihood but also faces daily struggles due to impaired eyesight. The elderly pedestrian, once mobile, now lives with permanent disability. Both victims’ lives have been dramatically altered.
Loke pleaded guilty on Aug 4 to one count of assault and one count of causing grievous hurt through negligent driving. In addition to his 28-week prison sentence, he was banned from driving for five years after his release. The court’s decision underscored the severity of both his impulsive violence and his carelessness on the road.
Cases like this highlight the devastating consequences of losing control in moments of anger or inattention. One punch or one glance away from the road can shatter lives irreversibly. For the victims, recovery is slow and incomplete. For Loke, a prison sentence and a driving ban mark a steep fall at just 26 years old.
But this was not Loke’s only offence. Just months later, on Feb 22, 2023, he was involved in another serious incident. While driving along Kim Seng Road, Loke failed to notice a 74-year-old pedestrian crossing with the right of way. Turning into Havelock Road, his car struck her. She was rendered unconscious and rushed to Singapore General Hospital with a head injury and multiple leg fractures. After 162 days of medical leave, doctors reported that she would likely never regain full function of her right leg and would need walking aids permanently.
In court, Deputy Public Prosecutor Samuel Chew stressed the long-lasting impact of Loke’s violent and reckless behaviour. The elderly taxi driver not only lost his livelihood but also faces daily struggles due to impaired eyesight. The elderly pedestrian, once mobile, now lives with permanent disability. Both victims’ lives have been dramatically altered.
Loke pleaded guilty on Aug 4 to one count of assault and one count of causing grievous hurt through negligent driving. In addition to his 28-week prison sentence, he was banned from driving for five years after his release. The court’s decision underscored the severity of both his impulsive violence and his carelessness on the road.
Cases like this highlight the devastating consequences of losing control in moments of anger or inattention. One punch or one glance away from the road can shatter lives irreversibly. For the victims, recovery is slow and incomplete. For Loke, a prison sentence and a driving ban mark a steep fall at just 26 years old.
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