The man accused of causing the death of Police Corporal Bertrand Edwards as a result of dangerous driving was yesterday admitted to bail in the sum of $200,000 when he made his appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
The allegation is that on June 8 at Mandela Avenue, Georgetown, 30-year-old Neron Yarris of 54 Fifth Street, Alberttown drove motorcar PKK 5540 in a manner dangerous to the public and failed to stop after being involved in an accident in which injury was caused to Bertrand Edwards who was riding a motorcycle. It is also alleged that the defendant failed to render assistance to Edwards.
On the same day also, Yarris is alleged to have caused the death of Edwards by driving motorcar PKK 5540 in a manner dangerous to the public. Yarris pleaded not guilty to the charges of failing to stop after an accident and causing death by dangerous driving.
However he admitted that he failed to render assistance to Edwards after the accident. Prosecutor Stephen Telford in his address to the court said that on the day of the incident, the accused and the deceased collided with each other after the accused had failed to stop at an intersection.
Attorney-at-law Sonia Parag who represented Yarris told the court that her client was unable to see Edwards approaching on his motorcycle that night since some of the lights on his bike were strapped with tape and the hazard lights were not in working order.
According to Parag, the defendant failed to render assistance to the deceased after the accident because he was overcome by fear and was in a state of panic.
The attorney then made an application for her client to be admitted to reasonable bail on the grounds that he has no antecedents, has a fixed address, poses no risk of flight and has been cooperating fully with the police in their investigations.
The prosecution had no objection to the bail application made by the lawyer.
Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Beharry-Sewnarine after hearing the case placed the labourer on $200,000 bail for the offences of failing to stop after being involved in an accident and causing death by dangerous driving.
Additionally, Yarris was ordered to pay a fine of $40,000 on the charge of failing to render assistance or alternatively spend two months imprisonment.
His matter was later transferred to Court Seven for September 23 for statements.
The police in a release said that Edwards of 233 Parfait Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, was riding his motorcycle on June 8 when he was struck down by a car.
