Couple stands by each other in traffic incident sentencing

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Kenicia Francis

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A young couple was fined a total of $2,000 in the St John’s Magistrates’ Court yesterday after they were charged with causing a traffic incident.

Jachya James, 20, stood by her boyfriend Aaron Murrell, 23, after Acting Chief Magistrate Dexter Wason imposed a $1,000 fine each and suspended them from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for 30 days. 

Murrell, who was a sound engineer during the JCI Color Run last month, was on his way with James to a predetermined engagement when he received a call that he was needed aboard the truck.

He subsequently drove to where the parade had reached and left his vehicle in the road and boarded the truck. 

“While doing something, the truck started to move off, but I wasn’t able to come off at that given time. That’s when my girlfriend jumped inside of the [car’s] driver’s seat and drove forward because it was obstructing the truck,” he explained.

According to James, the truck’s driver was blowing the horn and flashing the lights for the car to move but it didn’t come to a complete stop. 

That’s what prompted her to quickly move the vehicle out of the way to avoid a collision. 

“I thought that the sensible thing to do was relieve the traffic. I drove the car from Community First just up a little bit by VJ’s Bakery, by the intersection of Grammar School. That’s when the officer flagged me down. He stopped and asked me if I had a driver’s licence, I said no. Then he said I was giving attitude. He even said if I had just sucked up to him, apologised or begged that I wouldn’t be in this today,” she explained.

She told Observer that neither of them was given tickets but were instructed to report to Police Headquarters.

However, due to them both working early morning shifts at their respective jobs, she says they forgot.

When asked how he felt about his sentence, Murrell said he was happy it wasn’t worse as he was told it could have been, considering he left a running vehicle in the middle of the road.

Magistrate Wason counselled Murrell and shared a life lesson about doing that. 

The lesson was: regardless of how quick you think your errand may be, if you have to park a boat or a car, secure it like you’ll be away for a long time, like how you shouldn’t leave your house with a pot on the stove.

Murrell also expressed concern about his financial stability as his main job is a truck driver at Cecil Charles and the magistrate suspended his licence for 30 days. 

James said she felt that her sentence was a bit harsh for her role in the incident, which prompted the magistrate to ask her if she was trying to pin all the blame on Murrell.

However, she stood by him, saying no, and maintained that no damage was caused by either of them and it was a first offence for them both.

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