Ann’s Grove man slapped with 6 charges over Reonol Williams’ death

An Ann’s Grove, East Coast Demerara (ECD) father of three was on Friday, slapped with six charges, including one for causing the death of 50-year-old accident victim, Reonol Williams, whose decomposed body was pulled from a trench at Coldingen, ECD, on Tuesday.

Daniel Melbourne, 53, a musician, who was represented by Attorney-at-Law Patrice Henry, was arraigned before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court.
He was charged with the following offences: causing death by dangerous driving; failure to report an accident; failure to render assistance; failure to produce his vehicle for examination, giving false information to the Police, and attempting to obstruct the course of justice. Melbourne, who was not required to plead to the charges, was remanded to prison until July 22.
During his address to the court, Melbourne’s lawyer asked for him to be released on reasonable bail on the grounds that his client has an unblemished criminal record and that he had cooperated with the Police.
However, Police Prosecutor David Goodridge raised serious objections to the accused being granted his pre-trial liberty. In so doing, he highlighted the serious nature of the offence, that Melbourne is a flight risk and that a life was lost.
Williams, a father of two and labourer of Enmore, ECD, went missing on May 23 after he was struck down by Melbourne who was driving a red Toyota Fielder wagon, PAB 2552. The accident occurred on the Enmore Public Road, ECD. Following the accident, Melbourne picked up the injured man to take him to the hospital but this was never done.

Instead, Williams disappeared without a trace. His family had reported the man’s disappearance to the Police and an investigation was launched.
The owner of the car was arrested but after interrogation, he claimed that he was in the interior and that one of his nephews had taken the car without his knowledge. As such, he was released on station bail. However, after almost two weeks and no signs of Williams, the family requested an audience with Police Commissioner (ag) Clifton Hicken. After the meeting, the Major Crimes Investigation Unit of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) was instructed to take up the case.
As result, Melbourne was rearrested and on Tuesday, during interrogation, he took detectives to the location along the Coldingen Access Road, ECD, where the body was discovered during a search.
Williams’ sister identified the body to be that of her brother based on the clothes on the remains found.
She told detectives that her brother was wearing the same clothes when he went missing on May 23.

According to the Crime Chief, Melbourne confessed that he was the driver of the motor car at the time of the accident. He reportedly admitted that after he struck down Williams, he placed him in his vehicle and as he was driving, he observed that Williams was motionless. Out of fear, he further admitted that he stopped the car at a bridge in Coldingen, ECD, and disposed of the body in the trench.
After doing this, he told detectives that he went home and informed his mother that his vehicle was missing and that he had made a report to the Police. Further, he also admitted that the initial information he provided to the Police about him being in the interior was false.
After Williams was struck down, a friend of his who witnessed the accident had gone to the now dead man’s family’s home to inform them that he was taken to the hospital. But after checking several hospitals – both public and private – Williams was not found.