Attorney wants report on fatal accident inquest

AN attorney has asked a Rio Claro magistrate for a status report from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions on an inquest in which the coroner did not find his client criminally liable for a 2016 fatal accident.

Attorney Ashton Dinanath made the request, on Friday, on behalf of his client, who reappeared before magistrate Indira Misir-Gosine charged with causing death by dangerous driving. The 27-year-old accused is on bail.

Police are contending that on June 25, 2016, he caused the death of Afesha Archibald-Jones, 32, at Naparima/ Mayaro Road in Rio Claro. She died after the white Mazda pick-up van he was driving veered off the road and crashed into the woman who was on the pavement near the Chandrasekhar Vishnu mandir. It is alleged she was sitting and taking a break from jogging.

There was an inquest last year, and the coroner, Lucina Cardenas-Ragoonanan, found there was insufficient evidence for the driver to be charged.

Yet the driver was charged and later granted bail.

On Friday, prosecutor Sgt Ramkaran said he would provide an update on the next adjourned date which the magistrate set for August 30.