Bus operators held over attack on traffic cop

The police officer and minibus driver (in black) scuffling as public-spirited persons try to part them.
The police officer and minibus driver (in black) scuffling as public-spirited persons try to part them.

A Route 45 minibus driver and conductor, who are accused of attacking a traffic policeman on Wednesday, have since been apprehended and will face several charges in the new week.

Police spokesman Jairam Ramlakhan, in a press release yesterday, said the driver, Carlos Bacchus, 29, and conductor Troy Peters, 34, were arrested on Wednesday, shortly after the incident. He said they were scheduled to appear in court yesterday but due to a delay, they were expected to be released on bail. They are to be charged on Monday.

Among the charges the men will face are breach of condition of road service licence, failure to produce a driver’s licence, failure to comply with directions, and resisting and assaulting a police officer.

During the altercation, which took place around 4pm Wednesday at the corner of Camp and Robb streets, Georgetown, the lawman sustained minor injuries about his body.

The constable had related to this newspaper that he was on duty when he spotted minibus BTT 9225 proceeding along Robb Street. As a result, he said he attempted to arrest Bacchus, for whom a warrant was issued some time ago for obstruction of traffic. Bacchus allegedly exited the minibus and began to hit the policeman about his body. He was later joined by passengers of the minibus.

Public-spirited citizens pleaded with the Bacchus and the passengers to let go of the officer.  They eventually took Bacchus to a nearby store in an effort to calm him but he subsequently fled.