RANAU: A 27-year-old was fined RM10,000 or six months’ imprisonment for driving under the influence of alcohol, resulting in a collision, earlier this year.
Freddyvences Lumin admitted to committing the offence under Section 45A(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, which prohibits a person from driving or attempting to drive a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration exceeding the legal limit.
The court also ordered the accused to serve one day’s imprisonment from the date of conviction and disqualified him from holding or obtaining a driving licence for a period of two years, as provided under Section 45A(3) of the same Act.
According to the charge sheet, the offence occurred at 6.56pm on Jan 31 at Km 2, Jalan Ranau-Tambunan, near Kampung Pasir Putih.
The accused was driving a Proton Saga from Kampung Kimolohing towards Kampung Mindohuon when he attempted to overtake another vehicle along a straight section of the road.
However, he failed to return safely to his lane, causing his vehicle to sideswipe an oncoming vehicle travelling in the opposite direction.
The collision prompted a police investigation, during which the accused underwent a toxicology examination to determine whether alcohol had contributed to the accident.
The toxicology report confirmed that the accused had 151 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, exceeding the legal limit prescribed under Malaysian law.
The investigation was conducted by officers from the Ranau District Police Headquarters, with the findings forming the basis for the charge brought against the accused under Section 45A(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
During mitigation, the accused pleaded for leniency.
