THE Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) has been slapped with a lawsuit from a passenger who was injured when a bus owned by the company plunged over a precipice in St Ann in October, killing a teenager and injuring scores of other church-goers.

The negligence suit, filed in the Supreme Court, also named the JUTC’s Jeremy Stewart, who is said to have been driving the bus on the fateful October 16 night when the crash occurred in Faith’s Pen, killing 16-year-old Jodie-Ann Henry.

The suit, which did not specify the damages being sought, has been filed by Rosalyn Bell Wilson, a police officer from Greater Portmore in St Catherine. The claimant is also seeking interest, legal costs and any other relief the court deems just.

According to Wilson’s suit, the particulars of negligence are that Stewart had been speeding and that he was overtaking on a corner “when it was unsafe to do so”, among other things. The suit also quoted Wilson’s statement to the police.

The claimant said she received several injuries. She, however, sustained no broken bones.

“As a consequence of the matter aforesaid, the claimant has sustained serious personal injuries and has sustained loss and damages,” said the suit.

The bus was transporting members of the Bayside New Testament Church of God from Portmore in St Catherine to a retreat at the Moneague College, when the crash occurred around 8:40 pm. All 39 survivors received injuries.

Stewart, who has been employed to the JUTC for nine years, fled the scene of the accident, but was later held. He has been charged with manslaughter and is on $600,000 bail. He is to reappear before the St Ann’s Bay Resident Magistrate’s Court next year.