A 25-year-old man was on Tuesday sentenced to two years imprisonment by Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court for causing the death of his common-law wife in a motorcycle accident last year.

After a one year trial, Laurent McGarrell of Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara was on Tuesday found guilty for causing the death of his common-law wife Gaitri Sahadeo.

Magistrate Azore in her ruling stated that the elements she used to make her ruling was based on the fact that McGarrell was speeding and that he was not wearing a helmet at the time. He was also an unlicensed driver.

McGarrell made his first appearance before Chief Magistrate  Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court in July, 2017 and denied that several days earlier, on July 23, 2017 at Providence, he drove motorcycle, CJ 1957, in a manner dangerous to the public causing the death of Sahadeo.

McGarrell, a forklift operator at Caribbean Containers Inc. (CCI), was released on $100,000 bail by the Chief Magistrate at the time .

He was then immediately taken before City Magistrate, Sunil Scarce, to answer to six other traffic related offences as a result of the accident. He was charged with driving without a driver’s licence; driving without a third party insurance; driving without a safety helmet and driving the motorcycle without consent from the own

He was also charged with driving the motorcycle while being under the influence of alcohol. A Breathalyzer test was done on McGarrell which showed that he had a blood alcohol level of 40 micrograms. The unrepresented man pleaded guilty to the charges at the time, except taking the motorcycle without the consent of the owner.

He explained to the court at the time that “his brain is not working since he is studying his dead wife” and he is not in the right frame of mind. Magistrate Scarce then ordered that McGarrell be examined by a psychiatrist. McGarrell was ordered to post bail in the sum of $20,000 on each charge.

According to reports, the accident occurred at around 00:30hrs on the eastern carriageway of the Providence, EBD Public Road when the motorcycle suffered a blowout.

Sahadeo, who was the pillion rider and who was not wearing a helmet, reportedly sustained injuries to the head. She was picked up in an unconscious condition and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where she succumbed. (Tamara Tucker)