Corentyne driver charged over two accident deaths

Winston Collins was on Friday charged with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

Collins called “Ongaman”, 24, of Lot 128 Second Street, Swamp Section, Rose Hall Town, Corentyne, appeared on Friday before Magistrate Charlyn Artiga in the No.51 Magistrate’s Court to answer to the two counts of causing death by dangerous driving, one count of being an unlicensed driver and driving an uninsured motor vehicle.

Paula Kissoondial
Paula Kissoondial

Unrepresented, Collins was not required to plead to the charges which state that on Tuesday 3rd of November 2015 he drove motor vehicle PRR 164 in a manner dangerous to the public and therein caused the death of Paula Kissoondial, 53, his mother of Lot 128 Second Street, Swamp Section, Rose Hall Town and Akeem Harry 15, a labourer of Sookhoo Street, Rose Hall Town.

Collins pleaded not guilty to the other two charges after they were subsequently read to him.

He was released on $150,000 bail on each of the causing death by dangerous driving charges and released on self-bail on the other two. He is to return to court on the 9th of December 2015.

Those injured in the accident were Keith Ross, 27, Collins and Jermaine Smartt also of Rose Hall. Collins was admitted at the New Amsterdam but was discharged and handed over to the police.

The accident occurred around 11.30am, as the vehicle in which the five persons were travelling: PRR 164 was navigating a turn along the Number 46 Village Public Road. A spare tyre that had been fitted on the vehicle apparently blew off, resulting in the driver losing control of the car. The car subsequently flew across a trench, then slammed into the fence of a residential yard and landed on the bridge.

Smartt sustained a concussion and a fracture in his left arm, while Collins also sustained a concussion as well as a dislocated clavicle. Ross, who sustained a fractured spinal cord, was subsequently transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital.