By Latrishka Thomas
A visitor from the Netherlands was ordered to pay $500 after he was found guilty of dangerous driving on Friars Hill Road.
On October 15, Stijn Williamson appeared in the St John’s Magistrates’ Court before Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh, and admitted to driving an SUV in a manner which was dangerous to the public.
The court heard that on October 10, at around 10:30 pm, Williamson was travelling from south to north and when he got near Premier Beverages, he collided with the left side of a car which was travelling in the opposite direction.
He then ran off the road and ended up in a ditch on the eastern side of the road.
Stijn explained to the magistrate that he “took the wrong side of the pole [in the middle of the road] and saw a car coming straight at me. I panicked and pulled right and hit the car and ended up in a ditch.”
Williamson had arrived on island on October 3.
The magistrate having noted that “there is nothing to show a flow of traffic” at the intersection near Premier Beverages, called on the officer who investigated in the incident.
The traffic cop indicated that the accident happened further away from where the confusion could have been.
The magistrate adjourned the matter to check the site herself and Williamson was asked to return to court on October 19.
Yesterday, the chief magistrate imposed a $500 fine on Williamson and recommended that he should not drive for the duration of his stay.
Meanwhile, Edwards Frantz Henry and Julenda Smith of Jennings were unable to get bail when they appeared before Magistrate Ngaio Emanuel-Edwards in the All Saints Magistrate’s court yesterday.
The two are accused of attempting to murder Nana Chapman on September 12, 2020.
Their lawyer, Lawrence Daniel, argued that their charge should be reduced to battery.