Truckdriver charged in 5 road-deaths

TRUCK driver Wiltshire Modeste yesterday surrendered to the police to face five counts of driving a Home Construction Limited six-wheel dump truck in a dangerous manner to cause the deaths of five people, three of whom were Venezuelans.

Modeste, 57, of Ravine Sable Road, Longdenville, Chaguanas, surrendered himself to officers of the Maloney Police Post around  8.30 am. Sometime after, police said attorney Fitzgerald Hinds visited the station, but was not present in court when Modeste appeared before Justice of the Peace Khan at the Arima First Magistrates’ Court. During the time he spent at the Maloney Police Post, Modeste was fingerprinted and five warrants were later executed on him by Sgt Godson    Andrews. The petite-looking and grey-haired Modeste was subsequently driven into the compound of the Arima Magistrates’ Court at exactly 11 pm. Modeste sat in the middle of the back seat of a marked police vehicle between two uniformed police officers. There were no relatives with him.

Handcuffed and looking a bit solemn, Modeste was then placed into an Amalgamated Security van for two hours before he was brought into the court. Wearing cream shirt, black pants and black shoes, Modeste was called before the female Justice of the Peace to answer the five charges. In a barely audible voice, the JP told Modeste that it is alleged on April 28 at the Mausica intersection, he drove his vehicle, TBH 8627, in a dangerous manner thereby causing the deaths of WASA employee Natasha Marcano, Amalgamated security officer John Solomon Jr and Venezuelans Sudheyl Sanchez, Carolina Perdomo and Andres Jiminez. The JP neither told Modeste whether or not the charges were laid indictably nor did she ask him to enter a plea. She, however, informed him that he was remanded into police custody to appear on Monday before an Arima Magistrate.  The issue of bail is expected to arise then.

Four witnesses, two of whom are compound, are expected to testify on behalf of the State.  Modeste was charged following instructions Wednesday by Assistant Commissioner of Police (Mobile) Deochan Gosine.  Investigations were spearheaded by ACP (East) Nazamul Hosein and Sr Supt Rodvan Bastien. Meantime, Solomon and his fianc? Sudheyl Cristina Sanchez were buried yesterday following a funeral service at the Greater Malabar RC Church, while Perdomo and Jiminez were buried in their homeland Thursday. The relatives of Marcano are said to be waiting for people abroad before she is laid to rest.