Police Constable Simion Alder was yesterday charged with causing the deaths of three of his friends by dangerous driving after crashing his car in an accident in August along the Whim, Corentyne, Berbice public road.
Alder, 21, of Corriverton, who was represented by attorney Dexter Todd, pleaded not guilty to the three counts of causing death by dangerous driving, which were read to him by Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh at the Whim Magistrate’s Court. He was accused of causing the deaths of Quacy Lewis, 21, Jessica Leitch, 21, and Reon Moriah, 25, who all suffered fatal injuries after the car in which they were travelling crashed into a lorry that was in the process of parking on August 2nd along the Whim Public Road.
He was placed on $300,000 bail and was ordered to report to the Springlands Police Station every month. He will return to court on January 21st, when a report is to be given.
Alder was also previously charged with driving an uninsured vehicle, for which he was fined after pleading guilty. He was also charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, which be pleaded not guilty to.
Those charges emanated from the same crash, which occurred after the four left an event in Alness Village, Corentyne.
According to information gathered, they were on their way to drop Leitch home when the accident occurred, sometime around 11.30 pm.
Madray Sammy, 45, of Whim Village, Corentyne, the driver of the lorry, GJJ 5939, which is contracted by GuySuCo, had stated that he had just dropped off sugar workers and returned home when a car, PGG 9262 slammed into the back of the lorry as he was parking. “The first one knock into the back and I had on my trafficator and everything. He car raise up and slam down back so we come out and assist him,” he explained.
However, Sammy related, that about thirty minutes later, while they were still dealing with the aftermath of the first crash, the second car, PWW 582, which Alder was driving, slammed into the lorry. “The next car coming from Skeldon side coming with a speed and he end up lash the truck and pitch ’til where them police stand,” Sammy explained.
“How fast he coming, we barely see them. All one guy say ‘Watch deh! Watch deh!’ And I had to jump in the trench to save myself,” he added.
He assumed that the driver of the car may have swerved to avoid persons up the road who had on their hazard lights. “…And so them swerve from them people and with the speed end up in the lorry,” he said.
According to Sammy, they then had to render assistance to the persons in the second car.
Alder had suffered minor injuries about his body.
