Minibus driver jailed for causing death by dangerous driving

Twenty-five-year-old minibus driver Jamal John has been sentenced to four years, two months’ imprisonment by Senior Magistrate Judy Latchman on a causing death by dangerous driving charge.

John, of Lot 53 Joseph Pollydore Street, Lodge, was on Thursday found guilty of causing the death of 50-year-old pedal cyclist Desmond Grandsoult in December 2017.
The prosecution contended that on December 18, 2017, at Vlissengen Road, Georgetown, John drove minibus BTT 8476 in a manner dangerous to the public, thereby causing the death of Grandsoult.
During the eight months’ trial, two persons who were passengers of the minibus when the accident occurred gave evidence. One of those eyewitnesses said the accused was indeed going at uncontrollable speed, and passengers had admonished him to slow down, but he had ignored those admonitions.
The facts presented to the court stated that, on the day in question, the minibus was proceeding south along Vlissengen Road at a fast rate when Grandsoult, who was proceeding in the same direction in front of the minibus, attempted to cross the road and the accident resulted.
It was reported that the left front side of the minibus collided with the rear of the pedal cycle, and Grandsoult fell on the roadway and was run over by the bus. The driver then swerved into a trench.
The injured man was picked up in an unconscious state and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was admitted to the High Dependency Unit, but died while receiving treatment.
John, meanwhile, had reportedly fled the scene, and the Police had issued a wanted bulletin for his arrest.
Before handing down sentence, Magistrate Latchman told the court that if John had been driving at a moderate pace, he would have seen the deceased.
She declared that John had been inattentive to his driving, and had failed to exercise care, courtesy, consideration, caution and commonsense while using the roadway.
The matter was prosecuted by Police Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves.