Twenty-one-year-old Curtis Cort Jnr, of Lot 1429 Glasgow Housing Scheme, East Bank Berbice, appeared yesterday before Magistrate Ravindra Mohabir at the Fort Wellington Magistrate’s Court, where he was charged with causing the death of Avenash Charam by dangerous driving.
Cort pleaded not guilty.
The charge stemmed from an accident which occurred, almost six months ago, on Friday 9th August 2024, at about 01:45 hrs. along the Armadale Public Road, West Coast Berbice.
It is alleged that on August 9, 2024, at about 01.45 hours, Cort was driving a car (PAE 3462), east along the Armadale Public Road, West Coast Berbice, and while negotiating a left turn, collided with another car (PAG 3611), driven by Jose Teixeira, 31, of Lot 3 Portuguese Quarters, Corentyne, Berbice, who was travelling in the opposite direction .
Teixeira ’s vehicle carried four passengers, namely Jeffrey Mootoo, Lachman Charam, Pooran Charam, and the now-deceased Avenash, aged 9 years old.
Following the collision, the drivers and occupants sustained injuries. Avenash sustained a fractured thigh bone and Teixeira, fractured his right ribs. Both were referred to New Amsterdam Public Hospital in stable condition, while other passengers were treated and discharged. Avenash succumbed to his injuries while receiving medical care.
The magistrate granted pre-trial liberty in the sum of $500,000, with special conditions for the defendant to report to the Sisters Police Station on a monthly basis. Additionally, his driver’s licence has been suspended until the determination of the trial, set to commence on February 27.
