Driver shot by police slapped with five charges

Seepersad, 35, of Diamond Village near San Fernando, had been warded at the San Fernando General Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit following the incident. Since the incident, Seepersad had been handcuffed to his hospital bed after he had surgery and on Wednesday when he was discharged by doctors, police went to get him. Seepersad was escorted to the nearby San Fernando Police Station where he was placed in a cell. He was then slapped with the five charges.

Yesterday, Seepersad was taken before Senior Magistrate Cherril- Ann Antoine in the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court who read to him the charges, the first of which alleged that on May 24, at Coffee Street, San Fernando, he parked his vehicle on the Diamond Village Taxi Stand. The second charge alleged that Seepersad, being a person in charge of a vehicle, by furious driving, caused bodily harm to Woman Police Constable Francis Benjamin.

That charge was laid indictably contrary to Section 26 (1) of the Offences Against the Persons Act.

Antoine read a third charge to Seepersad that he assaulted Benjamin in the execution of her duties. And a fourth charge alleged that on the same day and place, he assaulted Police Constable Shiva Ramnarine in the execution of his duties. A charge that by furious driving, he did attempt to cause bodily harm to Ramnarine, was read to the defendant.

The charges relating to the assault on the two police were laid indictably and Seepersad was not called upon to plead. On the other charges, he pleaded not guilty. Attorney Alvin Pariagsingh pleaded for bail on the ground that the “PH” driver was the father of two young children and had been shot and wounded shot in the stomach. He had a previous conviction for driving under the influence alcohol for which he was fined, and, an obscene language charge as well.

Pariagsingh was told by Antoine that the two charges were not of such a serious nature that would have influenced the quantum of bail.

The magistrate fixed bail in the sum of $50,000 to cover all the charges, with a surety.

He is to reappear on July 2. The alleged victims were not present in court for yesterday’s hearing.