Six fatal accident convictions recorded at City Courts for 2016

Aug 14, 2016 News

– DUI, speeding proven to be major factors

Driving under the influence (DUI), speeding and inattentiveness were proven to be the cause of several fatal accidents by Magistrates presiding in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
For this year to date, some six convictions for the offence of causing death by dangerous driving were handed down in those courts.
The perpetrators, Ravin Singh, 28, of Grove, East Bank Demerara; Clyde Barker, 32, of Lot 244 Second Street, Grove, East Bank Demerara; Seon Greene of Lot 58 Russell Street, Charlestown; Sherwin Hopkinson, 37, of Lot 78 North Ruimveldt, Georgetown; and Juliano Seunarine, 28, of Tain Corentyne, Berbice, were given a combined total of 17 years’ imprisonment after being found guilty at the conclusion of separate trials.
Singh was sentenced to two years imprisonment. Hopkinson and Seunarine were each jailed for four years. Greene was sent to jail for four years and six months, while Barker was imprisoned for three years.
However, religious leader, Winston Cramer of Lot 62 Go Slow Avenue Tucville, Georgetown who was also found guilty of the said offence, was fined $100,000 with an alternative of 18 months imprisonment. He was also ordered to pay $500,000 compensation to the wife of the deceased.
On August 10, 2015 Cramer was driving his motor vehicle along Quamina Street, Georgetown when he failed to stop at the intersection on Camp Street. As a result, pedal cyclist Lennox Allicock was struck down after Cramer’s vehicle collided with a motorcar. Allicock was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he died a few days after.
Before passing sentence on Cramer, the Chief Magistrate said she considered that the deceased’s wife told the court that she was willing to accept compensation for her daughter, who was injured in the accident. She also considered the seriousness of the offence; the fact that a life was lost and the findings of a probation report in Cramer’s favour.
Before Singh, Barker, Hopkinson, Greene and Seunarine were sentenced, the Magistrates also took into consideration the fact that lives were lost and the need to promote road safety. They also considered the prevalence of the offence in today’s society and that the drivers were not paying keen attention on the roadways.
The convicts were all informed that they fell below the competence of a careful driver.
Seunarine was under the influence of alcohol when he struck down and killed 84-year-old Cristobel Hughes, the mother of Attorney Nigel Hughes. Seunarine was driving a motor vehicle on August 15, 2015, and as he approached Lamaha Street at the intersection with Pike Street, he failed to stop, colliding with the vehicle in which Mrs. Hughes was travelling.
Hopkinson was convicted for causing the death of 78-year-old William Trim by dangerous driving on March 5, at Aubrey Barker Public Road, South Ruimveldt, Georgetown. On the day in question, Hopkinson was driving a minibus at a fast rate of speed when he collided with a motorcar being driven by Trim.
Barker was driving a motor lorry which struck down 12-year-old Ezekiel Murray while he was walking along the Friendship Public Road, East Bank Demerara on April 10. The lad was picked up in an unconscious state and taken to the hospital, where he later died.
Greene was the driver of a taxi, which collided with pedal cyclist Mohamed Khan. The accident occurred on May 31, 2015 at Sandy Babb and Railway Streets, Kitty, Georgetown. Khan sustained multiple injuries and was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. Singh, a father of two, was the driver of a motor lorry which struck down 73-year-old Rajmattie Ram of Triumph, East Coast Demerara on July 14, 2014 at Robb Street, Georgetown.
At the time of the accident, the elderly woman was holding onto her grandson’s hand as they attempted to cross to the other side of the busy roadway. She sustained severe head and bodily injuries when she was dragged a short distance before the truck came to a halt.

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