Driver charged in road death of co-worker

Norman Holder, the driver who allegedly struck and killed his co-worker Rabindranauth Goorsammy on Monday, was yesterday released on $250,000 bail by acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.

Holder, 40, was charged with causing death by dangerous driving and he was not required to plead to the indictable charge, when it was read to him at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court One. It was alleged that on April 4, at Barr Street, Kitty, he drove motor van GKK 6698 in a dangerous manner, thereby causing the death of Goorsammy.

Prosecutor Stephen Telford said Holder and Goorsammy were known to each other, as they worked at the same establishment. He said on Monday, at about 10:30am, Holder was driving the vehicle east along Barr Street, when he collided with Goorsammy, who was at the back of his own vehicle attending to something. The court heard that Goorsammy fell to the ground in an unconscious state and was subsequently taken to the hospital, where he was admitted. He later died. Holder was subsequently arrested and charged for the offence.

Stating that this was a very unfortunate event for his client, Holder’s attorney, in his application for bail, explained that on the day in question his client was asked to move the vehicle in question from one place to another. The attorney continued that it was in the process of doing this that Goorsammy, who had placed himself in a position in which he could not be seen, was struck down. He concluded by saying that his client was not drunk, nor was he driving recklessly on the road.

Although he made no objections to bail, Telford informed the court that the accused would have given a statement in which he admitted that the vehicle had a fault with its accelerator.

Holder was granted bail and the matter was adjourned to June 1.