SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland — The case against Delroy Rodney, the taxi operator charged with five counts of death by dangerous driving, has been transferred to the Westmoreland Circuit Court where his bail application will continue on Tuesday, December 12.

When the accused appeared before the Westmoreland Parish Court on Wednesday, Senior Parish Judge Steve Walters inferred that Rodney must have been speeding. He also denied bail on the basis of the seriousness and the nature of the case.

The prosecution then revealed that the examiner’s report on Rodney’s vehicle and its black box showed nothing of value to report. She also noted that the speed limit for the crash area was 50 kilometres per hour.

“So, nothing?” the judge questioned.

At the previous hearing, Judge Walters had requested the examiner’s report on the Toyota Noah, the black box report and the speed limit of the crash area in order to make a ruling on bail.

“Today was for me to make a ruling to assess the defendant’s action. So now the examiner’s report has nothing on it. For seven persons to be in a vehicle and five died, obviously he must have been going at a particular speed. This is not an ordinary driving,” he stressed.

Soon after, the prosecution read a letter from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for the case to be continued in the circuit court.

“You are remanded in custody, the DPP chose to take over the matter and bring it to the high court. The nolle prosequi stops proceedings here and the matter entered,” Judge Walters explained to Rodney.

In the circuit court, Judge Christopher Daye, who will be presiding over the case, made the point that the matter is new to him.

Defence attorneys Lambert Johnson and Faith Salmon then went on to make a request for bail.

“I would be grateful if we could have bail application. It was my client who brought himself in to the police,” Johnson argued.

By then it was about 4:30 pm and Justice Daye noted that he would need time to go over the details.

“I can’t make a decision today, or go into a bail application. When I hear everything I will make my decision on Tuesday, November 12,” he said.

According to police reports, Rodney’s taxi, with seven people on-board, was travelling towards Whitehouse when the vehicle in front of it slowed down. The cab driver swerved, collided with a truck travelling in the opposite direction, and ended up in a tree.

– Kimberley Peddie