Driver sentenced to two years imprisonment

MOONLIGHTING taxi driver Edson Enniss, of Lot 88, Amsville Housing Scheme, New Amsterdam, was found guilty of driving motor vehicle PDD 5925 in a dangerous manner, thus causing the death of Sastia Natasha Phillips, a mother of two, on November 24, 2012.As a result, he was sentenced to two years in prison by Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs- Marcus at the New Amsterdam Court.
Further, he was fined a total of $40,000 for failing to render assistance and failing to stop after an accident.
On that date, at around 20:20hrs Phillips, along with her infant children, and her husband, was walking in the vicinity of Main and Alexander Streets, New Amsterdam, when she was hit by a car.
She was picked up and transported to the New Amsterdam Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
Following the accident, Enniss fled the scene and hid the car before reporting to the Central Police Station a day later, after a reward was issued by relatives of the deceased, for his capture.
During the trial, the magistrate had cause to order that two traffic cops be remanded to prison after they failed to attend court to testify in the case.
Police Sergeant 18281 Lloyd Thomas, along with Corporal 19673 Azad Ali, who incidentally was awarded Best Cop in 2012, had failed to attend court when required to do so. Consequently, arrest warrants were issued.
During a subsequent appearance, Thomas, responding to questions by the court said he forgot the court date, while Ali said he was not feeling well.
Questioned further as to whether he had a medical certificate to support his claim, he replied, “No M’aam.”
“Why did you not communicate that to the prosecutor or the registrar”? She asked.
“Nothing M’aam,” he replied.
Consequently, the policemen were remanded to prison until November 14.
However, the magistrate observed that whenever police ranks are remanded to prison, they are usually taken instead to the Tactical Services Unit where they would enjoy life.
Nevertheless, she affixed her signature to the warrants which were then handed to Police Sergeant Phillip Sherriff.
Thomas had recovered the hidden car at Lot 188 Amsville Housing Scheme, while Ali had visited the alleged scene of the accident at Main and Alexander Streets.
At the conclusion of the trial, Police Sergeant Godfrey Playter, submitted that a prima facie case was made out against the defendant.
He stated that the prosecution had overwhelmingly satisfied the court, with respect to the charges and, that the defendant’s negligence had resulted in the woman’s death.
“He [the defendant], did not take due care and attention,” Playter argued.
The defendant said he had swerved from two cyclists who had darted from a cross street into his path.
Enniss, a cane harvester confessed that he had swerved to avoid a collision, when he struck the woman. Following the collision he panicked and fear overcame him as he drove away. He later parked the car and went and hid himself.
Defence Counsel was Joel Edmond Persid.