KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 10 — The lorry driver who rammed into five vehicles here in an incident on Monday, was charged at the Magistrates’ Court here today with driving under the influence of drugs.

However, Ardi Latif, 25, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read out to him before magistrate Amanina Mohd Anuar.

Ardi was charged with driving the lorry under the influence of methamphetamine and amphetamine where he was unable to control the vehicle causing injuries to the driver of a Perodua Myvi car, Nik Adlee Saha Nik Ahmad Fauzi, 45, at Jalan Segambut Utara heading towards Jalan Ipoh at 2.40pm, on September 6.

The charge is framed under Section 44 (1A) of the Road Transport Act 1987 (Amendment 2020) which carries a maximum jail term of 10 years and a fine of not less than RM30,000 or up to RM50,000 and be disqualified from holding or obtaining his driving licence for not less than seven years from the date of conviction, if found guilty.

The court allowed Ardi bail of RM7,000 with one surety and imposed an additional condition that the accused’s driving license be suspended until the completion of the case.

Deputy public prosecutor Siti Nursyuhada Abd Rauf appeared for the prosecution.

A dashcam video recording of the crash, showing a lorry ramming several vehicles waiting at a traffic light intersection had gone viral on social media.

The video showed that the vehicles sustained damage as a result of the crash, including a yellow Perodua Myvi car that was severely crushed. — Bernama