AsiaOne : Car 'hits' volunteer in church, then speeds off

[g8crasher]

Car 'hits' volunteer in church, then speeds off

By Teh Joo Lin

A BLACK car that drove into a church compound on Christmas Day allegedly hit a volunteer twice before speeding off.

The police are investigating the incident that occurred at about 10am at the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in Siglap, just prior to a service.

The 37-year-old church volunteer, a billing operations manager who did not want to be named, told The Straits Times: "A lot of people were in shock when they saw it happen."

The volunteer was helping to direct traffic entering the compound when the car rolled in.

He put up his hand to stop the car because another vehicle was reversing into a parking lot.

But instead of waiting, the "driver just moved on and banged me in the knees", he claimed.

Shocked, and thinking the car could have bumped into him by accident, the warden hobbled over to the passenger side of the car, which had the windows wound down.

"I said: 'Excuse me, what are you trying to do?' The female passenger shouted at me: 'But you are in the way!'" he recalled.

The volunteer then walked over to the other side of the car to speak with the driver, described as a bespectacled man of about 50.

The couple are not thought to be parishioners of the church and it is not clear why they drove into the church compound.

When the volunteer's request to swop particulars was rejected, he told the driver he would take a photograph of the car with his camera phone as evidence before walking to the front of the vehicle to do so.

"Just as I was walking to the front of the car, he accelerated and knocked me," he said.

"I fell backwards onto the bonnet.

"I was shivering, I was really trembling because I was in shock already."

The volunteer said the car rolled forward about a metre or so before it stopped and he slid off the vehicle - feet first.

"If I hadn't got my footing right I'd have landed flat on my face or head or back," he said.

The volunteer claimed he then went round to the driver's side, again to exchange particulars, but was told: "You've no right to ask me for anything and I am not giving you anything."

The driver then sped off.

Although he did not break any bones, the volunteer said he sustained swelling and bruising on his knees.

He then reported the incident to the police.

Anyone who acts in a rash manner that endangers another's life or personal safety can receive a maximum penalty of six months' jail and be fined.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times on Jan 7, 2009.

http://www.asiaone.com/Motoring/Drivers/Others/Story/A1Story20090111-113829.html

[Guest angela]

my gawd... can't believe it...

its a criminal act.

[Guest fruitcakepablohoney]

Hope justice is done!

[Guest Protoss]

To knock someone twice in a roll.... Humm.... It will be interesting to hear the driver side of the story.

[Guest m1122]

Church is place of worship.........what is this type of violent people doing there? :censored:

[Guest Sareve]

They're evil heathens obviously