Jamal McLeod and Michael Thorne, the drivers charged with causing the death of Roxanne Mitchell, who was killed on the morning of May 27, after their minibuses collided near the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DBH) yesterday pleaded not guilty to the offence.
In their initial court appearance last month, they were not required to plead to the indictable charge. Appearing before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday, the men pleaded not guilty to separate charges of causing death by dangerous driving. It is alleged that McLeod drove minibus BPP 6158, and Thorne, minibus BPP 1670, in a manner that was dangerous to the public, thereby causing the death of Mitchell.
The magistrate later adjourned the matter to July 5 for statements.
At the time of the accident, Mitchell was travelling in a Route 32 bus to return to her Farm, East Bank Essequibo home, after witnessing the flag-raising ceremony in Georgetown that was staged to mark Guyana’s 50th independence anniversary.
Stabroek News had previously reported that McLeod was driving his minibus, in which Mitchell was a passenger, along the eastern carriageway of the East Bank public road and was going south towards the DHB while Thorne was travelling in the opposite direction.
It is suspected that neither of the drivers observed the stoplight that was flashing amber, resulting in the collision.