Jail for driver in 2009 Carnival Monday fatal accident

ELEVEN months in jail with hard labour, $50,000 compensation and disqualification from driving was the sentence imposed on the driver in a fatal accident ten years ago.

Justice Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds told Jason Samaroo, 41 – found guilty on March 19 by a jury of the 2009 Carnival Monday morning car crash – that legislators had fixed 15 years as the maximum sentence.

It was a head-on collision at 1.30 am on the Penal Rock Road. Anthony Nelson, 29, of Penal Rock Road, was killed, and three other passengers injured.

Samaroo, of More Diablo, Penal, pleaded not guilty but did not testify.

The State’s case, prosecuted by attorney Stacy Lallo-Chong, awas that Samaroo, heading east, took a corner almost in the path of the incoming car driven by Nelson’s friend Mhina Wharwood. Nelson was the front-seat passenger,.

The jury heard from retired corporal Ishwar Ramkissoon that Samaroo had said it was Wharwood who came into his lane.

Since the unanimous jury verdict of causing death by driving, Ramsumair-Hinds ordered Samaroo kept in custody to await yesterday's sentence. Yesterday, she dealt with aggravating and mitigating, factors speed falling in the former category and Samaroo’s unblemished record as a driver in the latter.

Nelson’s mother Lucie was in court, withhis stepdaughter, Aleen Edwards. His widow Violet and daughter, Jacey, ten, did not attend. Samaroo’s wife, 14-year-old son, close relatives and villagers wer epresent.

How Nelson’s death affected the family, Ramsumair-Hinds said, was a tragic story of love at first sight for Nelson and Violet, but stalked by death. Nelson met and fell in love with her when she was just 16. They got married but their first child died. Three years later, Violet gave birth to Jacey, who was only eight months old when her father died..

Ramsumair-Hinds ordered Samaroo to pay $15,000 to Edwards, $15,000 to Violet and $20,000 to Jacey. He was given time to pay.