D’Urban and Smyth Streets crash...Pick-up driver remanded on causing death charge

D’Urban and Smyth Streets crash…Pick-up driver remanded on causing death charge

May 31, 2017 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

The driver of the Toyota Tacoma that was involved in a deadly crash at the intersection of D’Urban and Smyth Streets, Georgetown two Sundays ago, was yesterday remanded to prison on a charge of causing death by dangerous driving.
Building contractor, Elton Carter of CC Eccles, East Bank Demerara, appeared before City Magistrate Judy Latchman and denied the charge which alleged that on May 21, he drove a motor pick-up in a manner dangerous to the public, thereby causing the death of Daniel Richmond.
Carter was also charged for failing to produce his driver’s licence; driving an uninsured vehicle and not being in possession of his driver’s licence.
Richmond was a cricket coach, umpire and Guyana Cricket Board scorer, who also played cricket for the Guyana Police Force.
Richmond, who was in his sixties, was killed when the Toyota Tacoma slammed into a route 41 minibus, BVV 5273 in which he was travelling.
The man was seen hanging through the bus window for several minutes, covered in blood, before being transported to the hospital.
According to reports, the silver-coloured minibus had just collected passengers from the ‘South Park” and was proceeding east along D’Urban Street, when the driver of the bronze-coloured Toyota Tacoma, which was heading south along Smyth Street, failed to stop at the intersection. The Toyota Tacoma slammed into the side of the minibus which toppled and crashed into a utility pole before coming to a halt.
Brian James, 40; Kim Douglas, 49; Aviel Eversley, 35; Jelany Williams, 17; Ronaldo Bancroft, 15; Deon Goodridge, 27; Morris DeSouza, 16; Michael Bunbury, 47; De Andre Smith, 17; Othien Otto, seven; Lynette Crawford, 42; Godfrey Daniels,35, and Jesemy (only name given) were all passengers in the minibus who survived the crash.
Meanwhile, during a bail application, Attorney-at-Law Stanley Moore asked that his client be admitted to reasonable bail. Moore disclosed that his client was a passenger in the Toyota Tacoma and that he received injuries.
Police Prosecutor, Inspector Daniels opposed bail for the defendant. She stressed that the defendant had not been cooperative with police investigations. She also disclosed that one of the passengers remains in a critical state.
It was previously reported that a female believed to be the driver of the Toyota Tacoma fled the scene after the accident. Police acting on information went to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where they found Carter, who said he was the driver of the vehicle, the prosecutor said.
However, the prosecutor said that days after Carter claimed a woman was driving the vehicle. But he refused to provide police with a name, address or any information that could lead to the woman’s arrest.
Inspector Daniels also cited that the defendant is a flight risk.
Magistrate Latchman instructed Carter to make another court appearance tomorrow, June 1.