Pickup truck driver charged with dangerous driving after injuring two women; verdict pending Jan 28

A 56-year-old pickup truck driver, surnamed Cheung, remains on bail after denying dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm to two female pedestrians in Tung Chung last March, with Magistrate Jeffrey Sze Cho-yiu adjourning the verdict to January 28 at Sha Tin Magistrates' Courts on Tuesday.

The court heard that two women, surnamed Cheng and Yeung, were struck by Cheung’s pickup truck under the bridge at the Citygate Outlets when they were crossing the road at around 2pm on March 14. 

The vehicle sustained no damage, but Yeung required nine days in the hospital and Cheng eight; Cheung was arrested immediately.

Yeung appeared in court with a wheelchair. She testified that she still experiences dizziness and tinnitus and needs regular checkups. On the day of the incident, she and her colleague Cheng were heading to a bus stop across from Citygate. 

Yeung maintained she checked for traffic, saw a stationary black seven-seater, then crossed normally without hearing approaching vehicles.

She recalled only waking in Princess Margaret Hospital, confirmed no traffic lights or zebra crossings existed, and rejected suggestions they dashed across.

Cheng, entering court with support and visibly frail, recounted similarly waiting by the roadside until safe, then hearing engine acceleration followed by Yeung's scream.

Turning, she saw a light-colored vehicle bearing down rapidly before blacking out and awakening in an ambulance.

Emotional during cross-examination, Cheng insisted no vehicles were visible initially and strongly denied running into the road.

Sze ruled that there is a case to answer. Cheung chose to testify in his defense, stating that he has about 36 years of driving experience since obtaining his license in 1989, with no prior traffic convictions. 

He said he was employed by Beijing Urban Construction Group as a driver responsible for transporting staff to and from the third runway of the airport. 

Cheung said he picked up two employees from Citygate and drove out of the parking lot, stopping at a yellow line. He claimed to have observed his surroundings multiple times before starting the vehicle and only noticed two women “suddenly appear” from the right side as he began to move.  

Acknowledging the location's hazards and his duty of heightened care, Cheung maintained the pedestrians dashed unexpectedly.