The drunk driver accused of causing the death of Christobel Hughes was yesterday fined for driving under the influence and remanded to prison on a death by dangerous driving charge.
Juliano Seunarine, of Lot 3 Area ‘H’ La Bonne Intention, East Coast Demerara, was fined $7,500 after he pleaded guilty to the charge of driving under the influence in a city court.
Seunarine was, however, not required to plead to the indictable charge that while intoxicated, he drove his vehicle in a dangerous manner, causing the death of Hughes on the night of August 15th.
Prosecutor Deniro Jones informed the court that Seunarine, being inebriated and not fully in control, had failed stop at a junction and as a result hit the car Hughes was travelling in. Hughes, 85, later succumbed in the Intensive Care Unit of the Balwant Singh Hospital to the injuries she sustained in the accident.
Jones informed the court that after the matter was reported, Seunarine was subjected to a breathalyser test, which revealed his high blood alcohol content.
When asked whether he wanted to say anything in response to the prosecutor’s statements, the unrepresented Seunarine declined to comment.
Magistrate Ann McLennan fined Suenarine $7,500 for driving under the influence with an alternative of four weeks in prison if he cannot pay.
He was remanded to prison on the causing death charge until September 4th, when the next hearing is due. Seunarine’s licence has been suspended until the end of the proceedings.
