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Two drivers, hauled before the courts to face charges in relation to two fatal accidents, were releasedAccused: Travis Davison bail yesterday.Roger Bess, 34, a janitor of 104 Cummings Street, Bourda, and Travis Davis, a bus driver of Agricola, East Bank Demerara, were both arraigned before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.Bess was the driver in the accident at Cemetery Road, West La Penitence which killed a 61-year-old pedestrian and injured two others. Davis, on the other hand, was fingered as the man behind the wheels of the minibus which crashed into a concrete pole at Little Diamond, East Bank Demerara claiming the life of a security guard.Davis is being accused of driving dangerously while piloting motor vehicle BSS9471 thereby causing the death of Lynette Joseph on January 6, last at Little Diamond Public Road, East Bank Demerara.He pleaded not guilty and submitted an application for bail through his lawyer, Paul Fung-a-Fat.The Court heard that about 17:45 hours on Tuesday, last, Davis was driving at a fast rate while heading north on the Little Diamond Public Road. Police Prosecutor, Corporal Bharat Mangru explained that as Davis negotiated a right bend, he lost control of the vehicle and it toppled.According to Mangru, the minibus slid for about 26 feet before colliding with a concrete post. Joseph, a passenger at the time, was seated three seats behind the driver. Mangru said that she was injured in the accident and subsequently died.The Prosecutor did not object to Davis being allowed his pretrial liberty, but asked that reporting conditions be attached if bail was granted.Meanwhile, Fung-a-Fat requested reasonable bail. He said his client is a father of two and has been driving for the past seven years. According to the lawyer, Davis had never been involved in an accident.He claimed that another bus cut in front of Davis forcing him off the road. There are three passengers who will testify that his client was not speeding, he said.He told the court that his client is willing to surrender his passport and abide by any condition the court deems necessary for bail.Davis was granted bail to the tune of $150,000. He was ordered to lodge his passport with the court and report every Friday at 09:00 hours to the Traffic Officer in Charge, at the Providence Police Station.In a separate court appearance, Bess was slapped with five charges. He is charged with driving in a manner dangerous to the public while piloting motor car PNN 7977 on Thursday, January 1 at Cemetery Road, West La Penitence, thereby causing the death of 61-year-old George Barker, of Freeman Street, East La Penitence.The prosecution said, too, that he was not the holder of a driver’s licence and that he used the car which was not insured for third party risk. Another charge detailed that a certificate of fitness was not in force on the vehicle.It was further alleged that on the said road, the 34-year-old drove the vehicle and having been involved in an accident which resulted in the death of Barker and injuries to 18-year-old Anaynasa Thorne, he failed to stop the vehicle after the accident and render assistance to the injured.While Bess admitted that he had no licence at the time and that the car was uninsured; he denied the other allegations.Police Prosecutor, Inspector Michael Grant explained that about 07:00 hours on New Year’s Day, Bess was the driver of the motor vehicle heading south on Cemetery Road. He reportedly lost control of the vehicle and hit the pedestrians.According to Grant, the persons were thrown into a nearby trench. They were rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where Barker subsequently passed away. Grant said Bess fled the scene but was later arrested and charged.Attorney-at-Law Khemraj Ramjattan, who represented Bess, told the court that the accident occurred because the vehicle’s two front tires sustained punctures as he was going over a speed bump.He said, as a result, Bess lost control of the vehicle and the pedestrians, who were nearby, were hit. Ramjattan explained that his client pleaded not guilty to failing to render assistance because his car pitched into the trench and he was taken to the hospital.The lawyer said that Bess had never been charged before. Station bail was set at $100,000.Addressing the court,Diego Maradona Jersey, Bess said that his licence expired on December 10, last year and the fitness certificate was in the car but the ranks did not find it.Bess was fined $25,000 for being an unlicensed driver and $40,000 for driving an uninsured vehicle. Failing to pay those fines will result in two weeks’ imprisonment.For the other two charges, the 34-year-old was granted $50,000 bail each. He will return to Court on January 29. |
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