The truck driver accused of causing the death of Police Constable 22349 Edson Williams by dangerous driving yesterday appeared in a city court and was remanded to prison.
David Persaud pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him by Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court 2.
It is alleged that on July 6 at Providence Plantation Road, East Bank Demerara (EBD), Persaud of Lots 94-97 First Hill, Soesdyke-Linden Highway, drove motor lorry GLL 8197 in a dangerous manner, thereby causing the death of Constable Williams.
The 25-year-old was represented by attorney Glen Hanoman who made an application for bail to be granted. Hanoman explained to the court that the location where Persaud resides houses his family business involving a trucking service which deals with the transportation of sand throughout the country. He said the offence with which his client has been charged is a bailable one and he would be surprised if the prosecution objected to bail although he was quite aware that it was a police rank who was involved in the accident. Hanoman told the court that the family of the defendant is well known to him and he would ensure that if granted bail Persaud would return for his trial. He described the incident as a freak accident.
But Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones objected to bail based on the nature, gravity and the penalty it attracts. According to Jones, the accident was not a “freak” one as described by the defence attorney but rather it involved a young police officer who was on duty making preparation for an event, when the truck approached with a speed. Jones said it was therefore due to the negligence of Persaud that Williams’s head was crushed, while noting that the post-mortem examination found that he died as a result of a crushed chest and head. After a lengthy proceeding the magistrate refused bail and suspended Persaud’s driver’s licence. The matter was adjourned to July 22.
Constable Williams, 19, of Lot 113, Number 53 Village, Berbice was killed on Monday when his head was crushed by a sand truck while he was assisting in making preparations for the ‘Soca on the Beach’ show at the new Hits and Jams Water World located at Providence, EBD.
The dead man’s aunt had told Stabroek News that although she wasn’t present when the accident occurred, she was told that Edson was in the process of placing barricades on the access road to the Hits and Jams Water World when the truck, which was laden with sand and was heading to a nearby construction site, struck him down.
