A Sophia minibus driver was sentenced, fined and remanded after being read 14 charges including assaulting a traffic officer.
Collis Whyte made his appearance today before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly and Magistrate Clive Nurse at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Before Senior Magistrate Daly, he was charged with resisting arrest, use of indecent language as threatening behavior towards a traffic rank, being in possession of a dangerous weapon and behaving disorderly in a public place.
He was then sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for resisting arrest and six months’ imprisonment for threatening behavior toward the officer. He was also sentenced to 12 months behind bars for possession of a dangerous weapon. The sentences will run concurrently.
Collis was also fined $10,000 for the use of indecent language and he was remanded for the disorderly behavior charge. He will reappear before the Magistrate on May 17.
Before Magistrate Clive Nurse, Collis was charged with four counts of dangerous driving, improper conduct of driver, failure to wear seatbelt, breach of prescribed fitness, failure to wear face mask.
He pleaded guilty to failure to wear seat belt and was fined $7,500. While he denied the dangerous driving charges and was released on $200,000 bail. He also denied the breach of Condition of the Prescribed Fitness, improper conduct of driver, failure to wear face mask and failure to give right of way. He was granted bail in the sum, $40,000. He was advised to return to court on May 28.
Guyana Standard previously reported that the driver was arrested by police after he chased a Traffic Cop with a cutlass on Sheriff Street.
Enquiries disclosed that Police Constable, Edwin Connelly was on motorcycle patrol proceeding west on Homestretch Avenue when he noticed minibus # BZZ 3029, which was proceeding east on the said road, overtaking a line of traffic which amounts to 15 vehicles.
The driver was stopped, told of the offence and asked by the ranks to produce his driver’s licence. The driver reportedly ignored the request and drove away.
Constable Connelly chased after the driver and caught up with him on Sheriff Street, where he managed to stop him once again in a bid to prevent the continuation of the offence.
The driver exited the vehicle and drew a weapon, which appeared to be a cutlass from the right passenger side of the bus, and chased Constable Connelly.
The constable then ran in a bid to prevent himself from being hurt. The driver got back into the mini bus and drove to his Sophia residence where he was later arrested by a patrol and taken to the Brickdam Police Station.
