Police still investigating Jude Bentley’s accident - File not yet sent to DPP’s office

Police still investigating Jude Bentley’s accident – File not yet sent to DPP’s office

Feb 16, 2020 News

It has been exactly two weeks since Former Army Chief of Staff and Ret’d Rear Admiral Gary Best was involved in an accident that claimed the life of cyclist Jude Bentley. However, police are still putting together pieces of the puzzle that may lead to charges being instituted against Mr. Best.

Gary Best

Best was behind the wheel of the black Toyota Land Cruiser that struck and killed Bentley, who was at the time riding a bicycle on the Rupert Craig Highway during the early hours of Saturday February 8 last. The accident occurred in the vicinity of the Russian Embassy turn.
A breathalyzer test revealed that the former Chief of Staff was above the legal limit for alcohol.
Best was taken into police custody the evening of the accident but was later rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he was admitted to the cardiac ward for ‘suspected complications’.
Commander of Region 4 ‘A’ Division, Assistant Commissioner, Edgar Thomas, disclosed to the media that a file will be prepared and sent to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions seeking advice on the way forward while Best was hospitalised.

Dead: Jude Bentley

But yesterday, when contacted again, Commander Thomas explained that the file is still not done as police are still ‘investigating’ the accident.
Best has since been released on $100,000 station bail.
Family members of the dead cyclist are outraged at the slow pace in which the investigations are moving. Bentley’s wife, Fonah McWatt, told Kaieteur News that the family is still waiting to see the police institute charges.

Parts of the mangled cycle at the scene of the accident

“I wanna know why this man wasn’t passed through the court after causing death by dangerous driving…if it was anybody else, that person would already be charged for the offense so what is the hold up. The family is in turmoil and feels frustrated with the course of justice at this time,” she said.
According to the grieving woman, Bentley’s Biker Team, ‘592 Bikers’ has started a movement calling on ‘Justice for Jude’.
From police reports, Best explained that he was proceeding east along the southern lane of Clive Lloyd Drive when the cyclist suddenly appeared in front of him. He reportedly told police that he applied brakes and the front right side of his vehicle struck Bentley, who fell onto the roadway and sustained injuries.
Best had claimed that Bentley had no reflectors or protective gear on his bike at the time, citing this as the reason why he did not see him on the road.
However, family members disputed these claims after the broken reflector parts were found scattered along the accident scene.
Further, dash cam footage seen by Kaieteur News showed the now dead cyclist on the public road outfitted with his reflectors and other protective gear a few minutes before the accident.