… found guilty for causing death by dangerous driving
A three-year prison sentence was handed down to 58-year-old Andrew Arthur on Friday by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, for causing the death of a motorcyclist due to dangerous driving.
Arthur appeared before the Magistrate earlier this month and pleaded not guilty to the charge, which stated that on March 6, 2016, the elderly driver was speeding along the Houston Access Road, East Bank Demerara, when he collided with the motorcyclist.
The injured man was rushed to a city hospital where he was treated and discharged, but later collapsed and died.
The accused explained to the court at the last hearing that on the day in question, he was on his way to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport to pick up his family
Andrew Arthur
when the motorcycle collided with his vehicle. He was then arrested and later released on $40,000 bail. Sometime thereafter, he was asked to report to the Ruimveldt Police Station where he was informed of the motorcyclist’s death.
The Magistrate stated that the court is satisfied to the extent, based on the testimony of the eyewitness and the prosecution’s evidence, the manner in which the accused drove fell way below that of a competent driver. Additionally, the post-mortem results revealed that the victim’s death was a direct result of the injuries and a novus actus interveniens (a new intervening act which breaks the causal link) case could not be established.
The court was convinced beyond reasonable doubt that Arthur was responsible for the death of the cyclist and the Chief Magistrate found him guilty.
