Jermaine Carroll, the driver accused of killing six-year-old Joseph Quallis, was remanded to prison yesterday after a court heard that he had been eluding police who were after him for a number of minor matters.
The allegation against Carroll, 28, is that on June 12, at Georgetown, he drove PPP 5931 in a manner dangerous to the public, thereby causing the death of Quallis.
Additionally, Carroll, of Lot 3417 Stevedore Housing Scheme, was charged with driving the vehicle without an insurance for third party risk at the time.
He pleaded not guilty to both charges after they were read to him by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry before whom he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Police Prosecutor Bharat Mangru said Carroll was proceeding west along Middle Road La Penitence at a fast rate when he collided with the child.
The prosecutor said that at the time of the accident, the boy was standing on the southern side on a bridge.
The court heard that Quallis was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospi-tal, where he subsequently succumbed to his injuries.
Mangru objected to the accused being granted bail. In addition to the seriousness and prevalence of the offence, he told the court that Carroll had been wanted by the police for a number of other minor matters but had always managed to evade lawmen. In the circumstances, Mangru argued that if granted bail there is a likelihood he would not return to court to stand trial.
After hearing the prosecutor’s arguments, the magistrate informed the unrepresented accused that he would be remanded to prison.
The case was adjourned until July 4, when it will be called for statements.
Doctors had told the mother of the boy, Shelly Anne, that it was unlikely he would survive the accident.
The woman had said she sent her son to a shop, a few houses away from their home. She was at her window when she saw a speeding car race down the street and hit a child.
“I jump and holler that somebody child just get hit. Then when I see them take him out from the accident, I see is my son and I run out the place to go and get him,” the distraught woman said.
The child was struck and pinned against a steel fence. He was taken to the hospital and was quickly attended to before being taken to the intensive care unit (ICU) in a critical condition where he later died.
One eyewitness said he heard the screeching of tyres and loud music and when he looked he saw the car, PPP 5931, speeding down the road. He said Joseph ran to the bridge of someone’s yard as the car got closer and was suddenly slammed into the bars of the fence of the gate and trapped.
The man said people ran to the scene and had to pry the boy’s unconscious body out. He said the boy’s head had a huge gash.
