Umadat Persaud, the driver who struck and killed 30-year-old Angelle Barry on Sunday along the Canal Number One, West Bank Demerara (WBD) Public Road, was on Thursday granted $500,000 bail after denying that he caused her death by dangerous driving.
Appearing at the Wales Magistrate’s Court, Persaud, 30, a resident of L’Oratoire, Canal Number One, WBD, was charged with driving canter truck GPP 4022 in manner dangerous to the public, thereby causing the death of Barry on April 21st.
He was also charged with driving under the influence, to which he pleaded guilty and he was fined $7,500.
His bail was set at $500,000 on the causing death charge and the proceedings were subsequently adjourned until May 6th.
The accident occurred around 5.30 pm on Sunday.
The police had said following his arrest, Persaud was subject to a breathylyser test which showed that his breath alcohol content was over the legal limit.
Barry’s husband, Jusley Brisport, 36, and one of their three children, three-year-old Nefetari, were also injured in the accident.
Angelle suffered the worst of the injuries while Jusley sustained a broken arm and Nefetari sustained bruises about her body.
They were all rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital, where Angelle succumbed to her injuries while receiving medical attention.
Jusley, a shoemaker and farmer, and Nefetari were treated and discharged.
The couple’s two other children, Orias and Akeria, who were with them at the time of the accident, escaped unhurt.
An autopsy performed on Angelle’s remains found that she died as a result of multiple injuries.
At the time of the accident, the family was heading to an event hosted by a relative in a neighbouring community.
The police said enquiries revealed that Jusley was leading the way, with Nefetari in hand, while Angelle and the other two children were walking behind him when the driver of the truck, who was proceeding in the same direction, overtook a car that was in front of him. It was then that the car struck the couple.
A first responder, who wished not to be named, had related to Stabroek News that she was in her house when she heard a loud impact.
“I was inside and I heard ‘Bam!’ And when I look out, I saw the male and female [Jusley and Angelle] on the ground and the three children apart from each other and they were crying. I thought it was a dog with the hit that I heard…,” the woman had related.
She said Persaud did not stop immediately after the accident nor did he offer to assist the family. It was residents of the community who helped to get the injured to the hospital, she added.
“He [Persaud] didn’t even stop or render assistance. He get away because nobody knew who he was or where he gone. Is ’til when a girl coming from up the road and she seh it got to be the guy wah was walking up the road with blood on he skin. He got to be the driver fah the Canter. ’Til away. If you hit them people hay, you gone go ’til up dah side and park? You ain’t even come back fah seh, yuh reverse yuh Canter or wahever and yuh throw them in yuh vehicle and take them to the hospital,” the woman lamented.
