Route 45 bus driver Wendell Morris has been charged with assault after allegedly punching another driver who voiced her disapproval when he cut into a line at the bus park.
But Morris, 40, of 35 West Ruimveldt yesterday denied that he unlawfully assaulted Tuschelle Ross-Miller so as to cause her actual bodily harm on July 20, at Cornhill Street, Georgetown.
The prosecution’s case is that Morris drove his minibus into the Cornhill Street bus park, but instead of joining the line form the back, he poked his way to the front.
Prosecutor Ramsahoye Rambajue told Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court that Ross-Miller, who is also a minibus driver, approached Morris and told him that he knew what he had done was wrong.
According to Rambajue, Morris became annoyed and dealt her two cuffs to her mouth. Afterward, he also allegedly threatened to harm her if she initiated court proceedings against him.
Attorney Omeyana Hamilton, who represented Morris, refuted the allegations, saying it was Ross-Miller who had attacked her client and he merely defended himself after she advanced towards him with an ice pick.
Hamilton argued that at all material times Morris was repelling Ross-Miller.
She added that Ross-Miller repeatedly rammed her minibus into the rear of her client’s bus, which was parked between hers and another. She said that her client was unable to exit his vehicle and when he did manage to disembark through the back, the woman advanced towards him with the ice pick.
The lawyer said too that Ross-Miller’s daughter, who was at the scene, removed Morris’ key from the ignition of his vehicle and refused to hand it over to him until he summoned the police.
Attorney Basil Williams, who indicated to the court that he was watching the interest of Ross-Miller, said that she had visible swellings about her mouth, was “battered” by the accused and lay prostrate on the ground.
An irate Williams said that Morris poked his way into the line, being fully aware that it would be unfair to other drivers who had correctly joined the line from the back.
He argued that the woman had already spent some $87,000 to reconstruct her dentures.
Williams also opined that the charge levelled against the accused should have been felonious wounding, which is more serious than the charge he now faces.
After hearing the case, Magistrate Azore set bail at $75,000.
Hamilton requested a reduction, noting that her client is of meagre means. She also assured that he would return to court to vigorously contest the charge and clear his name.
But the magistrate advised Hamilton that if the court did reduce the bail granted, it would not be by any significant amount and as a result she would let it remain at $75,000.
The matter was transferred to Court Ten for August 5 for reports and fixtures for trial.
On Tuesday, concerned Route 45 (Hospital/Albert-town) bus operators staged a picket at the park near Stabroek Square to protest against continuous abuse which they say is being meted out to female operators by male operators. The small gathering of mostly women, assembled at the park in an effort to “make a call for the acts to cease” and Eon Andrews, President of the United Minibus Union noted that the association had been receiving reports of abuse by men against their female counterparts for some time.
