Accused in road death case denies faking amnesia

AN Arouca man yesterday denied that he was faking amnesia in an attempt to avoid assisting the court with the details leading up to an accident which claimed the life of his girlfriend. George Atherton, 39, of Railway Road, Arouca, is before Justice Rajendra Narine at the Port-of-Spain Second Criminal Court for the unlawful killing of Ingrid Holder, resulting from a vehicular accident on February 3, 1994. The two, along with Ingrid’s sister Alicia Holder, were involved in an accident on the Churchill Roosevelt Highway near Streatham Lodge Road, Tunapuna. They were on their way home from a Carnival fete.  

Atherton sustained head injuries, allegedly resulting in amnesia and Ingrid died at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital four days later. According to Atherton, although he could not remember being involved in the accident, nor being warded at the hospital, he could not have been speeding. If Ingrid had been uncomfortable with the way he was driving, the accused said, she would have brought it to his attention and he would have slowed down. “I usually drive at a slow speed where everyone feels comfortable,” he said.

Alicia had testified for the State that on the day in question, Atherton was driving so fast that the pick-up truck was “almost flying.” The accused said he remembered leaving the fete and stopping off at an Independence Square eatery. They ate the meal in the tray of the van.  He recalled driving east along the highway up to the “Morvant flyover,” but that was as far as he could recall about the events leading up to the accident and his stay at the hospital. Following his evidence, his attorney Pamela Elder SC closed the case of the defence. The State was represented by attorney Marlon Sambujaran. Hearing continues today.