Brian Hubbard, who is a driver and a mechanic at the Ministry of Education, was yesterday charged with causing death by dangerous driving.
Hubbard, 39, was remanded to prison when he appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. The father of seven was not required to plead to the indictable charge, which stemmed from his involvement in an accident on Labour Day at Norton Street and South Alley, which resulted in the death of a man.
It was alleged that on May 1, at Norton Street and South Alley, Hubbard drove minibus PLL495 in a manner dangerous to the public, which resulted in an accident that caused the death of Kevin Roberts.
Hubbard’s lawyer Deborah Backer applied for bail, saying he posed no risk of flight and he would not tamper with any of the witnesses in the matter.
Prosecutor Stephen Telford objected to the bail application, on the grounds of the seriousness of the offence. He said that Roberts was struck down at 3:40pm and died soon after. According to him, this demonstrated that the force of the blow he sustained was as a result of the speeding bus.
He also stated that if released Hubbard may flee the jurisdiction.
Backer, however, stated that what the prosecutor was doing was presuming what had occurred on the day in question. She noted that a vehicle moving at moderate speed could also kill a person, depending on the angle at which they were struck. She also stated that although she knows the matter is a serious one, her client is innocent.
The magistrate refused bail for Hubbard and ordered that he return to court on Friday.
Meanwhile, Orin Semple, 27, of Parika, East Bank Essequibo, was granted bail in the sum of $300,000, after he was charged with being involved in an accident that caused the death of a man on the Parika Public Road on May 1.
Semple was not required to enter a plea to the indictable charge of causing death by dangerous driving when Magistrate Robertson read it to him. It is alleged that on May 1, at Parika Public Road, Semple drove motor car HB 5752 in a manner dangerous to the public, resulting in an accident that caused the death of Rohan Ramshu.
Backer also represented Semple and in her bid to secure bail for him told the magistrate that the accident was not his fault. She stated that according to information gathered, Ramshu was drunk and had walked into the path of her client’s car.
Prosecutor Stephen Telford then stated that on the day in question Ramshu, who was a pedestrian at the time, ran from east to west on the public road which was right in Semple’s path. The prosecutor added that although this was so, “drivers have a responsibility not just to drive but to look out for who is not looking out for you.” Backer interjected, stating that this was not the issue at the moment but whether or not her innocent client would be granted bail.
She said that her client posed no risk of flight and would return to court when required. She also posited that there were no eyewitnesses at the time of the accident although a crowd convened shortly after.
She said the fact that her client stopped and placed Ramshu in his car to take him to the hospital clearly shows that he has no intentions to flee.
Telford objected to the bail application, on the grounds of the seriousness of the offence and he contended that if released Semple may flee the jurisdiction “through our porous borders.”
The magistrate later ordered that the matter be transferred to the Leonora Magistrates’ Court for May 6.
