Jail for man in forklift accident that led to victim’s leg being amputated below the knee

A warehouse assistant was operating a forklift when he failed to check a blind spot while making a turn, and the vehicle struck a man in his left leg.

The 66-year-old victim’s leg became caught in a wheel and had to be surgically amputated below the knee.

Lucious Richard Pereira, 49, the forklift operator, was sentenced to 20 days’ jail on Dec 17.

He had pleaded guilty to one count of causing grievous hurt to the older man by operating the forklift in a negligent manner.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Gabriel Gan told the court that Pereira was licensed to handle forklifts at the time and had been operating them for around 20 years.

At around 2pm on Feb 20, Pereira was operating a forklift at a warehouse in Lok Yang Way, near Pioneer Road, to move some items from a nearby yard into the warehouse.

He briefly stopped the vehicle to allow a colleague to pass in front of him.

Another man – the victim, who was then employed as a lorry driver – was standing on its left when Pereira made a right turn.

DPP Gan said: “The accused had a duty to check the left of the forklift before executing (the) turn... As the accused executed the right turn, the rear of the forklift hit (the victim’s) left leg, (which became) caught in the wheel.”

The victim yelled in pain, and Pereira drove the forklift forward before stopping to help the older man.

Court documents do not disclose what happened next, but a doctor later stated that the victim suffered an open fracture.

Source: Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.

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