Causing death by dangerous driving

Apr 03, 2022 News

The Court Journal…

By Renay Sambach

Kaieteur News – Driving recklessly and causing the death of someone is an offence that carries up to five years jail time. For the month of March, three persons including a police officer, were charged for causing death by dangerous driving.

Dead, Toney Lakeram

As a result of those three incidents seven individuals lost their life.
The first matter is that of a teen who was charged for killing three men during an alleged drag race last week and was on Thursday last placed on bail.
On March 24, last the unlicenced teenage driver of a speeding Spacio car that caused the death of three persons, on the De Willem Public Road, West Coast Demerara, was placed on $1,500,000 bail for the offence.
On March 11, 2022, when the defendant, Matthew Ambedkar, 19, of Tuschen Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) made his first court appearance in the Leonora Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Zameena Ali-Seepaul, he was remanded to prison.
However, on his second court appearance, the charge was re-read to Ambedkar after the Administration of Justice Act (AJA) was applied and the teen was subsequently placed on bail.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleges that on March 7, 2022, at De Willem Public Road, West Coast Demerara, he drove in a manner dangerous to the public thereby causing the deaths: 46-year-old Kiran Rampersaud of Zeeburg, WCD, and 44-year-old Ayube Mohamed of Meten-Meer-Zorg, and Carlito Kissoon Gobin of De Willem Village, WCD.

(From left) Dead, Ayube Mohamed; Carlito Kissoon Gobin and Kiran Rampersaud.

Dead, Christopher Bhagwandat and his girlfriend Sheereda Persaud

Attorneys-at-law, Dexter Todd and Dexter Smart, who are representing the teen made a bail application to the court for their client. As such, Magistrate Ali-Seepaul granted bail in the sum of $500,000 on each charge with the condition attached that Ambedkar lodge his passport. The matter was then adjourned to April 26, 2022, for statements.
It is alleged that around 21:35hrs on the day in question, Ambedkar was the driver of a speeding car that ploughed into a parked SUV and a group of individuals in front of a bar located at De Willem Village, killing three of them.
It is also alleged that the unlicenced teen driver was involved in a drag race with another vehicle. Ambedkar reportedly lost control of the car, which careened off the road, crashing into a SUV which was parked in front of the bar along with the victims. He was also severely injured as a result of the accident and had to be hospitalised for a few days.
In another matter, the driver who was involved in the fatal hit-and-run at Number 70 Village, Corentyne, East Berbice, Region Six was on Tuesday March 22, last remanded to prison.
The defendant was identified as Vivendra Ramdharry, 37, of Number 69 Village, East Berbice Corentyne. He appeared at the Springlands Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Alex Moore to answer a number of charges.

Ramdharry was charged on two counts of causing death by dangerous driving, two counts of failure to render assistance and one count of failure to report the accident.

Dead, Felicia Fernandes

He is accused of causing the deaths of Tony Lakeram, 20, of No.71 Squatting Area, Upper Corentyne and Felicia Fernandes, 28, of Lot 14 Coveden, East Bank Demerara by dangerous driving. The duo was reportedly struck down by Ramdharry’s car around 23:30hrs, while walking along the Number 70 Public Road.
The accused was not required to plead to the indictable charges of causing death by dangerous driving. He, however, pleaded not guilty to the other charges. He was represented by Attorney-at-law Bernard Da Silva who requested bail but it was refused and Ramdharry was remanded to prison until April 14, 2022.
According to reports, investigators were able to find Ramdharry after a description of the vehicle was provided to authorities. Ranks were able to locate the vehicle the day after the accident in a yard at Number 69 Village. With the vehicle in their possession, investigators found that it belonged to Ramdharry and subsequently arrested him in Kitty, Georgetown.

Charged, Mattew Ambedkar.

Charged, Vivendra Ramdharry

Two weeks prior to Ramdharry being charged, the police lance corporal, who was behind the wheel of a police patrol pick-up that was on February 2, 2022 involved in a horrific crash that claimed the lives of two teens, was on March 3, 2022 charged for allegedly causing their death.
The policeman, Lawrence Carmichael, who is attached to the Mahaicony Police Station appeared at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court where he was charged with causing the deaths of Christopher Bhagwandat, 21, and his 16-year-old girlfriend, Sheereda Persaud.
Carmichael was arraigned before Magistrate Fabayo Azore. According to a police release, Carmichael was not required to plea to the charge and bail was opposed but the magistrate did not agree and granted Carmichael bail in the sum of $1.5M.

Charged, Lawrence Carmichael.

While Carmichael was being charged inside the court room relatives of the dead youths protested in front of the court house demanding justice. Bhagwandat and Persaud were reportedly heading to Mon Repos on the East Coast of Demerara in a car at the time they were killed in the accident. Bhagwandat, the driver of the car, had reportedly picked up Persaud from her home at Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice (WCD) and was taking her to his mom’s birthday celebrations at his home in Mon Repos.
In fact, according to reports, he was taking her there to surprise his mom because she had never seen her future daughter-in-law before. On their way there, they were pulled over at a police road block along the New Zeeland Public Road in Mahaicony, Region Five. Bhagwandat had initially pulled over but according to police, as an officer approached, the car suddenly pulled off. The ranks at the road block alerted their base and a patrol vehicle which Carmichael was driving responded. The corporal decided to chase Bhagwandat’s car.
The high speed chase ended tragically on the Mahaica Bridge after both vehicles ended up crashing into a canter truck. Bhagwandat and Persaud were killed on the spot and ranks in the police pick-up were injured. An investigation was conducted and it was advised that Carmichael be charged with causing death by dangerous driving.