An East Bank Berbice man who was charged with vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol was yesterday placed on a total of $1.2m bail after he was involved in an accident that resulted in the death of Corporal Alden Reynolds on Thursday last.
Troy Henry, of First Street, Edinburgh Village, East Bank Berbice yesterday appeared virtually before Magistrate Renita Singh where he was charged with vehicular manslaughter. The charge read that on Thursday, February 23, while under the influence he drove hire car, HD 2816, while he was incapable of having proper control of the vehicle thereby causing the death of Reynolds.
He was also charged with driving under the influence, which read that on February 23rd, he drove motor vehicle HD 2816, while his breath alcohol level exceeded the legal limit of 35 micrograms that is to say at the time he had 48 micrograms in his breath.
Henry was not required to plead on the vehicular manslaughter charge for which he was placed on $1m bail. He pleaded not guilty to the DUI charge and was placed on $200, 000 bail.
He will return to the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court on March 27th, for reports on both matters.
Reynolds, 40, of Sandvoort Village, West Canje Berbice; and Police Sergeant, Javon Thomas, 37, of Fort Ordnance Housing Scheme, were at Heathburn when they were struck.
The men were rushed to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital and then later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital. Stabroek News was told that Reynolds, who sustained massive head injuries, succumbed just around 4 pm on Friday.
A post-mortem examination yesterday revealed that Reynolds died as a result of multiple injuries sustained.
On Thursday, the men and several other ranks were on their way further up the East Bank Berbice area for a domino competition when they stopped at Thomas’s in-laws’ residence at Heathburn.
Stabroek News was told that after the men exited the yard, motor car, HD 2816, which was driven by Henry, 50, went out of control and ran into Thomas’s wife, Dr Karen Thomas’s vehicle, PAC 4187, which was parked on the parapet and then the policemen.
Thomas’s foot was caught under Henry’s car while Reynolds was pitched some distance away and fell unconscious.
Henry was arrested at the scene of the accident and taken to the Central Police Station in New Amsterdam where a breath alcohol test was conducted on him and readings of 48 and 51 micrograms were registered.
Yesterday, Commissioner of Police (ag), Clifton Hicken and a team of senior police officers visited Reynolds’s relatives in Berbice. The Commissioner last week visited Sergeant Thomas in the hospital to check on his condition.
