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Unlicensed driver charged for Chief Librarian’s death
Three days after the fatal accident which resulted in the death of Chief Librarian, Gillian Thompson, a 24-year-old unlicensed driver, Odida Underwood, was brought before the court charged with causing death by dangerous driving.
Appearing at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court before the Chief Magistrate, Priya Sewnarine-Beharry yesterday, Underwood denied committing the crime.
Odida Underwood, accused
The Prosecution represented by Corporal Bharat Mangru stated that on December 24,last, (Christmas Eve), he drove in a manner dangerous to the public, while piloting motor car PPP8655 thereby causing the death of the Chief Librarian, Gillian Thompson.
Underwood was further accused of using the car without the consent of the owner or a legal representative. The prosecution said, too, that he was not the holder of a driver’s licence when he used the car which was not insured for third party risk.
He pleaded to the charge of being an unlicenced driver, of taking a vehicle without the permission of the driver and was fined $500,000 by the Magistrate.
Underwood is alleged to have been proceeding north along of Shiv Chanderpaul Drive. However, when he approached the intersection at North Road, he reportedly failed to stop and collided with the left-front side of a motor van.
The Prosecution said that the Librarian was seated in the front seat of the motor van which then collided with a concrete culvert. As a result, she reportedly received injuries and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
Attorney at Law, Mark Thompson entered an appearance on behalf of the accused and applied for bail to be granted to his client. He said that Underwood is a 24-year-old gold miner who resides at 197 Guyhoc Park, Georgetown.
The lawyer claimed that the facts are different from what transpired on the day in question.
He explained that there was an occurrence in which his client was compelled to drive the vehicle.
The lawyers stated that there was an emergency and his client was heading to his daughter’s as her mother had called.
Thompson said that the car which the gold miner was driving, at no point made contact with the Chief Librarian. He said that due to the fact that his client does not have a licence he was slapped with the charge. He did not hit the bus; the bus hit him,” the attorney said.
According to Thompson, the police failed to conduct proper investigations. The lawyer said that causing of death is a particular charge and the file should have been sent to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
Gillian Thompson,
Chief Librarian
The defendant also begged the court for leniency. “I know I don’t have a licence but I’m begging for some leniency.”
The prosecution did not object to bail being issued to Underwood but requested conditions for it to be granted. Mangru asked for the accused to lodge his passport and to report to the Brickdam Police Station the second Friday of every month, starting from January 10, 2014.
In response, the Chief Magistrate granted bail and fined the man for each of the three other charges. Underwood was fined a total of $85,000 with alternate prison sentences.
Underwood is expected to return to court on January 31, 2014 to answer to the charge.
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