It has been little more than a year with little progress in the case of the assault on Roger Gautier, the handicapped man who was dealt a blow to the jaw by an irate minibus driver after an accident at the Demerara Harbour Bridge.
On October 25, 2016, Gautier, 36, was reportedly assaulted after his attacker collided with the back of his vehicle.
Gautier said last week that he is unaware of the status of the matter, while opining that the perpetrator either “got off” or that nothing is bound to come of the case. He related that the last time he attended a hearing was a few weeks ago, when, like the times before, the matter was put off for another date.
The case is being heard at the Providence Magistrate’s Court.
Stabroek News was made aware of the matter after a letter was sent to this newspaper by an eyewitness, Paul Fraser, who reported being threatened for standing up for the handicapped driver of the car and intervening to stop a further assault.
Gautier had lost his right arm in an accident eight years prior.
“…On the afternoon of October 25, 2016, at about 4:30pm, I was driving on the East Bank road, heading south on the western carriageway of the road in the lane designated by police to southbound traffic during the daily rush hour…As I was in front of the Harbour Bridge Mall, a mini bus, license plate #BNN 3629, which was in the lane to my right, and was northbound, bumped into the back of a car which was in front of him,” the letter related.
Gautier explained that the minibus driver had collided with his car after he denied him the opportunity to cut in front of him. Gautier was driving behind his wife at the time and had been on his way to pick up his children from school. His five-year-old child was in the vehicle with him at the time.
Fraser related in the letter that the driver of the minibus after colliding with the back of Gautier’s car, exited his vehicle and proceeded to verbally and physically abuse the man, proclaiming that he was employed at the Ministry of the Presidency.
Gautier’s young child, who broke down in tears during the incident, had to be taken away from the car.