Bus driver endangered passengers’ lives trying to escape police – court hears

Nine charges were yesterday laid against a minibus driver who led the police on a high speed chase around Georgetown with 20 passengers in his vehicle.

Greg Gaskin, whose address was not given, pleaded guilty to five counts of dangerous driving, one count of breach of insurance, one count of failure to comply with a police instruction, one count of overloading a minibus and one count of failure to wear a seat belt.

The facts, read in Court 7 presided over by Magistrate Chandra Sohan, stated that on April 20, Gaskin was at Croal Street and Avenue of the Republic when he heard a police siren. Gaskin accelerated at a fast rate of speed onto Avenue of the Republic and the police followed with siren on.

The man then turned onto High Street, driving in a zig-zag manner to prevent the police from passing him. He then turned into Broad Street, then onto Saffon Street at a high rate of speed.

Police said one of the passengers escaped from the front seat while Gaskin was driving and other passengers broke windows to escape. Some passengers asked him to stop but he refused.

Gaskin was subsequently apprehended and presented before the court. Sentencing was deferred to April 28.