Rice farmer fined $120,000 for Essequibo Coast hit-and-run

Rice farmer Alan Baharall of Maria’s Delight, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) has been fined $120,000 for hitting a pedestrian and speeding away.

When he appeared before Suddie Magistrate Christel Lambert, he admitted to the charge of failing to render assistance to an injured person, and was fined $30,000. Failure to pay this fine would result in him having to serve three months’ imprisonment.
He has also been fined $20,000 for failing to stop after an accident; and for being an unlicensed driver, he has been fined $30,000, or two months’ imprisonment in default of payment. Further, he has been fined $40,000 for breach of insurance, in default of which he would have to serve six months’ imprisonment.
It was reported that the 46-year-old Baharall was arrested on Tuesday, February 21, after Police received a report of a hit-and-run accident that occurred on the New Road at Charity, Essequibo Coast at just after 18:00h. Reports are that Baharall was riding motorcycle CL 2933 in a southerly direction at a fast rate when he struck 59-year-old Jeewan Etwaroo, a labourer of New Road, Charity, Essequibo Coast. At time of the accident, Etwaroo was reportedly standing at the side of the road.
Police have said that Baharall claimed he was riding his motorcycle when Etwaroo suddenly walked into his path. As a result, his motorcycle collided with Etwaroo, and Etwaroo fell and received injuries about his body. Baharall claimed that immediately after seeing that Etwaroo was injured, he sped away from the scene.
Etwaroo was picked up by public-spirited citizens and rushed to the Charity Hospital, where he was diagnosed as having suffered a broken leg and sustaining lacerations about his body.
Later that Tuesday, Police visited the home of Baharall and he was arrested and taken into custody, and later charged. (G9)