Sevana escapes prison time after causing death by dangerous driving
WESTMORELAND, Jamaica – Reggae singer Sevana was fined $300,000 on Thursday in the Westmoreland Parish Court after pleading guilty to a death by dangerous driving charge in an accident that claimed the life of a 32-year-old woman, in May of last year.
The artiste, whose real name is Anna Blake, appeared before Justice Courtney Daye who ordered that she pay the fine or face two years in prison. She is also banned from driving for the next two years.
According to the police, Blake was travelling along the Scott Cove main road in Whitehouse, Westmoreland, when the Honda City motor car she was driving collided with a Honda Fit going in the opposite direction.
READ: Sevana pleads guilty to death by dangerous driving
Ordia Cordiel, who was a passenger travelling in the Honda Fit, sustained severe injuries and was admitted to the Black River Hospital, where she later died. Sevana’s brother was also injured in the accident.
On October 31, the entertainer plead guilty to a charge of death by dangerous driving. The singer was represented by attorney-at-law Everton Dewar.
Justice Daye said he could not place sufficient weight on the allegations that the singer had hosted a party in the deceased woman’s community or that she had a rift with her family.
“I can’t place sufficient weight to those factors to sentence you harsher,” Justice Daye said.
“You are disqualified for a period of two years from holding or obtaining a driver’s license,” he ordered.
Sevana, who was clad in full black, kept her eyes closed and her hands clasped while on the stand. The singer wept in court following a few allegations she said were not true.
“I never said that your honor,” she blasted to allegations from a social enquiry report that was read by probation officer, Simeon Buchana.
Westmoreland-born Sevana first came to prominence in 2008 when she entered Digicel Rising Stars as part of the girl group SLR. The group placed third. SLR broke up the following year and Sevana pursued a solo career.
She is known for the singles ‘Mango’, ‘If You Only Knew’ and ‘Man Down’.
