A SENIOR Court Marshal attached to the Supreme Court was yesterday placed on $810,000 bail by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan for the offenses of dangerous driving and driving under the influence of alcohol.Patrick Higgins, of Section B Diamond, East Bank Demerara, pleaded not guilty to the charges, which alleged that on February 23, 2016 he drove his motor car in a dangerous manner on the Houston, East Bank Demerara public road, causing the death of 60-year-old Juene Carroll Marshall of Virginia Village, Cane Grove, East Coast Demerara.
Higgins was also charged for driving under the influence of alcohol. It is alleged that at the same time and place, his blood alcohol level was 37 micrograms, which is above the legal limit of 35.
The defendant was represented by three lawyers: Lyndon Amsterdam, Roger Yearwood and Dennis Paul. Yearwood told the court that his client had no previous convictions and that he stayed at the scene of the accident for an hour before the police arrived.
The lawyer also asked the court to take into consideration the modus operandi of his client and the fact that he was an officer in the courts. Meanwhile, the police prosecutor objected to bail based on the seriousness of the matter, the loss of life and the fact that the address that the lawyer submitted to the court was different for the one that was submitted to the police.
Higgins was granted $10,000 bail for driving under the influence of alcohol and $800,000 for the offense of dangerous driving. He is expected to return to court on February 29, 2016 on the charge of driving under the influence of alcohol and March 4 for the offence of dangerous driving.
According to reports, the victim, who was a security guard, was riding along the East Bank road around 04:30hours when he was struck by a car which was reportedly proceeding at a fast rate. Marshall and his bicycle ended up in a nearby drain.
According to paramedics, the man, whose body was partly submerged, suffered several broken limbs and a broken neck as a result of the impact.
The victim’s body had been in the drain for at least two hours before it was removed.