High speed chase ends in court fines

A 21-year-old unlicenced driver who led police on a chase through the Black Rock, St Michael area has been slapped with over $2 000 in fines.

If Kallia Tafari Stanford, of Deacon’s Main Road, St Michael does not pay the sum imposed by Magistrate Kim Butcher in by September 30 he will spend six months in prison.

The young man committed the offences while on Black Rock Main Road on June 5.

He pleaded guilty to operating the vehicle MA7327 when it was not equipped with red lights with the required intensity and not having a light that illuminated the figures on the rear number plate. He also did not draw his vehicle to the left side and stop on an approaching police vehicle sounding a siren, drove without due care and attention; he drove an uninsured vehicle, and operated the vehicle when he was not the holder of a driver’s licence.

Station Sergeant Randolph Boyce told the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court that police were on duty along Black Rock Main Road in the area of the traffic lights when they observed the motorcar MA7327 approach from the Deacon’s Road area and turn through a nearby service station, then onto Black Rock Main Road heading towards Eagle Hall.

The officers observed the vehicle had no red rear lights and sounded the siren and beacon to get the driver to stop. Instead he sped off along Browne’s Gap, Tudor Bridge, Whitehall Land, Roxy Gap, Bank Hall Cross Road, and Strathclyde Drive with police in pursuit. The chase went back to Strathclyde Crescent, and to the NHC Housing Complex where the driver  stopped.

“I know I am wrong for doing these things. Wonder if I can get another chance. I was going to a party. I didn’t stop because I know I ain’t have no licence and I was frightened and that is why I did not stop,” Stanford told Magistrate  Butcher when asked to explain his actions.

His attorney Safiya Moore mitigated on his behalf, explaining that while her client was wrong, his offence had not surpassed the threshold for a custodial sentence and  an alternative punishment in the form of a fine could be placed on the first time offender.

After considering the submissions the magistrate imposed an amount on each offence totaling $2 900.

For not having the rear red lights he was fined $200; the lack of a light to illuminate the rear number plates $200; the sum of $800 was imposed for not drawing his vehicle to the left side and stopping on the approach of a police vehicle sounding a siren; $300 for driving without due care and attention; $800 for driving an uninsured vehicle, and $600 for driving when he did not have a driver’s licence.