Fine for driver who blocked ambulance
A driver was fined HK$3,000 yesterday for blocking the path of an ambulance with his car after a collision, delaying a patient's arrival at hospital by almost 30 minutes.
Businessman Benjamin So Wai-wing, 39, pleaded guilty at Kowloon City court to delaying a member of the fire services. A charge of careless driving was dismissed.
The court heard that on the morning of August 16 last year, an ambulance was taking an elderly woman, who was not in emergency condition, to Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The ambulance was not using its siren or lights.
The accident happened as Mr So was driving his car along Prince Edward Road West, ahead of the ambulance.
When the two vehicles reached the junction with Earl Street the ambulance driver, who was in the second lane, thought Mr So was going to pull into his lane, but then did not.
The court was told that after passing the junction, the ambulance driver decided to change lanes. However, Mr So also changed lanes at the same time and the two vehicles collided.
The prosecutor said Mr So then got out of his car and approached the ambulance. The driver asked if he could help, but got no response, and told Mr So that he was taking a patient to hospital and asked to leave the scene. But Mr So started arguing, saying he planned to file a complaint. A second ambulance had to be called to take the woman to hospital, causing an estimated 27-minute delay.
In mitigation, the court heard that Mr So only wanted to 'reason with the driver' after the minor collision.
In sentencing, magistrate David Thomas accepted it was an isolated incident.
