A 25-year-old man who was charged last year with causing the death of his common-law wife in a motorcycle accident was found guilty and sentenced to two years in jail on Tuesday by Magistrate Fabayo Azore.
Laurent McGarrell was arraigned on a charge of causing the death of his 20-year-old common-law wife, Gaitri Sahadeo, who was killed in a motorcycle accident at Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD) on June 23, 2017. A breathalyser test conducted on McGarrell after the accident had determined that he had a blood alcohol level of 40 micrograms, which is over the legal limit.
In addition to the causing death charge, McGarrell was also arraigned on a slew of traffic-related charges, namely driving without a driver’s licence, driving without third-party insurance, driving without a safety helmet, carrying a pillion rider without protective head gear, driving a motorcycle while being under the influence of alcohol, and driving a motorcycle without consent from the owner.
He denied the charges of driving under the influence and taking the motorcycle without the owner’s permission, but admitted to the other traffic-related offences.
He was fined G$7500 for each of the charges in relation to driving without a helmet and carrying a pillion rider without the protective head gear, and was fined G$30,000 for unlicensed driving; while the breach of insurance offence also attracted a penalty of a G$30,000 fine.
McGarrell was disqualified from acquiring or being able to hold a driver’s licence for any class of vehicle for a period of 12 months.
During his first appearance last year, he broke down in tears and told the court that he “is not in the right frame of mind”.
Nevertheless, a psychiatric evaluation later proved that he was fit to stand trial.
Reports are that the June 23, 2017 fatal accident occurred on the eastern carriageway of the Providence Public Road about 00:30h when the motorcycle suffered a blowout. Sahadeo, who was the pillion rider, had sustained severe injuries to her head because she had not been wearing a helmet at the time of the incident. She later succumbed to her injuries at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
