TELEVISION actress Lu Rui En was yesterday charged with one count of careless driving, for knocking over a motorcycle in a carpark in April.
The 35-year-old actress, who did not have a lawyer, told District Judge Carol Ling she intends to plead guilty.
She is expected to enter her plea in a Traffic Court next Friday.
The New Paper, Lianhe Wanbao, The Straits Times
Lu is accused of failing to have proper control of her black BMW when driving into a carpark near Block 331 Clementi Avenue 2 at about 4.15pm on April 12. Her car mounted a kerb before crashing into a parked yellow and black Bajaj RS200 motorcycle.
Lu, who was accompanied to court by two women, was calm as the charge was read to her. Outside court, the Hype Records artiste told reporters she did not intend to engage a lawyer. In response to questions, she would say only in Mandarin: “Thank you, everyone, for your concern.”
Lu was dressed in a white top with a white jacket and black trousers. She was picked up in a Honda Civic outside the State Courts.
If convicted of driving without due care and attention, Lu faces a fine of up to $1,000, jail of up to six months or both.
The crash made the news when Chinese evening daily Lianhe Wanbao reported that the motorcycle owner, Bahrom Sarmiten, 52, did not recognise the actress and when he confronted her, she said to him: “Do you know who I am?”
Later, he found out she was a well-known local artiste.
Five days after the incident, Lu won an All Time Favourite Artiste award at the annual Star Awards for Mediacorp entertainment.
She also offered him $2,000 to settle the matter privately, Mr Bahrom said, but he declined the offer as he thought it would not cover the repair costs for the damage to his vehicle, which he had bought for $13,300 three months earlier.
Policemen later administered a breathalyzer test on Lu before they took her away for investigations.
Later, Lu’s manager said the actress’ remarks were meant to assure Mr Bahrom she would not flee.
Lu herself later said she had “misjudged a turn”.
Apologising for the incident at the Star Awards on April 17, she told the audience: “Regarding the recent incident – it’s still under investigation, so before the full report is out, I hope you can all forgive me.
“I’m unable to answer the media at this point but I hope to apologise for whatever inconveniences this has caused… I am very sorry.”
At the end of her speech, she gave a deep bow.
Video screengrabs
In January, Lu was reportedly involved in another incident. She hit another car while driving a white BMW along Lornie Road towards Adam Road.
The incident on Jan 6 was recorded by the in-vehicle camera of the damaged car.
Lu reached a private settlement in that case.
amirh@sph.com.sg
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