Donald Downer, who was accused of dangerous driving injuring two pedestrians at Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara, will soon know his fate. This comes one year after two males suffered life-altering injures allegedly at the hands of driver, who was driving recklessly.
Ali hospitalised in June 2016
On May 29, 2016 Wazir Ali of Industry, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and Shemar Henry who was just about to turn 13 were both standing on the Goed Fortuin Public Road when a speeding motorcar struck both of them down. The lad had reportedly suffered a fractured skull and internal injuries while one of Ali’s legs was amputated.
At a court hearing late last week, Police Sergeant Campbell closed the prosecution’s case. The police’s evidence is that Downer drove his motorcar dangerously and as such failed to use consideration when he operated the motorcar. The prosecutor noted that accident resulted in Henry and Ali being permanently injured.
Prosecutor Campbell contended that had the accused used common sense, he would have been aware that the area between the GPL Power Station and Amaral Tyre Shop is normally congested due to several businesses operating there. The prosecution highlighted that the accused never told the court why failed to stop despite seeing a car. Sergeant Campbell contended that the defendant was speeding and urged the court to find the defendant guilty as charged.
After hearing the closing arguments, Magistrate Nurse set the decision for later this week.
According to reports that surfaced last year Downer, the driver, had claimed that he lost control of the car and slammed into teenager, and then Ali before smashing into a parked motorcar. Downer was said to be a pastor.
Ali, the amputee had told Guyana Times in June 2016 that on the day of the dreadful incident, he was visiting his two children at Goed Fortuin.
“I was at Goed Fortuin main road… opposite a place… a tire shop. A guy pull up in a black car and ask me fuh space fuh park. He went back into his car and pull into the shop. I saw two kids standing on the road and this car pass next to them so I holler on them. When I holler on them… I mek a left turn. When I swing to my left, all I hear is ‘badang!’ and that’s all I know. I wake up in the hospital,” he had related.
He received severe injuries to his head, arms and legs, and due to the severity of the injuries to his left leg, it had to be amputated. Shemar’s mother, Sharon Henry had recalled rushing the accident site where she had seen her bleeding son.
Both the Henrys and Alis had noted the financial strain of having their loved ones hospitalised.
