SINGAPORE — A judge rejected a lorry driver’s claim that he “swerved instinctively” into a cyclist’s path because he thought he had hit a taxi.

Teo Seng Tiong, 58, was on Tuesday (Dec 17) found guilty of two charges related to the incident that happened along Pasir Ris Drive 3 almost exactly a year ago.

He was convicted of causing hurt to cyclist Eric Cheung Hoyu in a rash act endangering human life, as well as failing to file a police report within 24 hours of the accident.

A video, taken from a nearby vehicle’s rear camera, went viral on social media and sparked a spirited debate over who was at fault — Teo or Mr Cheung, a 35-year-old British national.

District Judge Chay Yuen Fatt ruled that Teo had deliberately swerved his lorry into Mr Cheung’s path, and that there was “simply no basis to support his defence”.

Teo will return to court on Jan 14 for mitigation submissions and sentencing. He remains out on bail.

Mr Cheung was fined S$2,800 in April for his role in the incident, after pleading guilty to two charges of committing mischief and not cycling in an orderly and careful manner.

Before Teo sideswiped him, he had struck the lorry’s side-view mirror, breaking off portions of it and causing damages worth S$15.

On Dec 22 last year, Mr Cheung and his friend were cycling on the left lane of Pasir Ris Drive 3 towards New Loyang Link.

They were cycling abreast of each other, with Mr Cheung in the middle of the lane and his friend closer to the kerb.

Teo tried to overtake Mr Cheung using the right lane but was unable to do so due to the presence of other vehicles.

At the junction of Pasir Ris Rise, Mr Cheung stopped in front of the lorry at a red light. When the lights turned green, both moved off and Mr Cheung remained in the centre of the lane.

Teo honked at Mr Cheung and tried to overtake him using the right lane again but was not successful. The younger man cycled closer to the kerb, then raised his right hand when he was beside the lorry and struck the side-view mirror.

Teo then swerved his lorry to the left and collided into Mr Cheung, causing him to fall onto the grass patch on the left side of the road.

Mr Cheung sustained abrasions and bruises on his lower back from the collision.

During Teo’s trial, Teo testified that he had “swerved instinctively” towards the direction of the cyclists because he thought he had made contact with a taxi to his right after hearing a “crushing sound”.

The sound, however, turned out to be Mr Cheung hitting his side-view mirror.

Teo added that when he alighted from his lorry, he saw Mr Cheung dashing towards him while shouting an expletive.

Teo claimed that he tried to speak to the cyclist in Mandarin and a bit of Hokkien, but Mr Cheung did not appear to understand. Due to the language barrier, he drove off because he thought they have resolved the matter amicably, Teo added.

He said he did not realise that Mr Cheung’s friend had already called the police and taken a photograph of the lorry’s licence plate.

For causing hurt by performing a rash act, he could be jailed up to a year and fined up to S$5,000.

First-time offenders convicted of failing to report an accident to the police within 24 hours can be jailed up to three months, or fined up to S$1,000, or both. They could also be disqualified from driving.