Collision cop receiving counselling

The Special Reserve Police constable who was involved in a road accident in which 46-year-old Shervon Medina died is on leave and receiving counselling, a senior officer said yesterday.

Speaking with Newsday, the officer said it was unclear whether the officer involved in the accident would be charged and if he was, it would be in the public interest.

He also said the investigation is continuing and the vehicle is at a police station.

"Anytime an investigation is taking that long and no police was arrested, it means that there is some form of defence," the officer said. "So he was going through counselling and the vehicle involved is at the station.

"It's not very clear. The video shows one thing, but we aren't sure what he might have been seeing that night."

Medina, who was from Pinto Road, Arima, was knocked down by a car driven by a police officer last Tuesday while walking to a shop along the Diego Martin Main Road.

During the post-Cabinet press briefing National Security Minister Stuart Young urged police to avoid speeding when possible.

“As a legislator is it against the law to speed,” Young said. “Even as a practising attorney, police services, ambulance services, fire services etcetera don’t have any right to speed. So the law of negligence covers that.”

He said if someone was travelling at unreasonable speeds in built-up areas, they were liable in civil law.

“You are also liable, because you can have manslaughter by a vehicle, in criminal law.

“So basically I’m calling upon – and I’d like to use the opportunity to call upon – all of our response personnel, all of those men and women not only in the Police Service but in the Defence Force, Fire Service, etcetera: just drive cautiously and be aware there are other users of the road, including pedestrians. We have a responsibility to them as well, okay?”

Additional reporting by Sean Douglas