Man who drove vehicle into bus stop crowd slapped with six charges

A man who stole a van and drove into a group of students on the Laudat bus stop in Roseau has been slapped with six charges.

Wayne Matthew appeared before a Roseau magistrate this morning where he pleaded not guilty to three traffic violations and three criminal matters.

Among the charges are those of driving a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license, driving without due care and attention and driving the vehicle without the owner’s consent.

Matthew claims that he knows nothing about the incident. He had been admitted to the psychiatric unit of the Princess Margaret Hospital since the incident, but a psychological report from that institution has indicated that he is fit to plead and receive sentencing.

According to earlier reports, on December 3, 2009 Matthew stole a pick-up van, registration number 3567 which was parked on Boyd’s Avenue. The van was parked on the Laudat bus stop and the owner, Thomas Dequental of Laudat, was at a nearby restaurant.

Eyewitnesses told Dominica News Online that Matthew revved up the engine and went full speed ahead, injuring several students in the process.

“When I hear that engine rev up, I say trouble coming for us now. I just see the van coming. A man had to kick a little girl out of the way for the van not to pick her up. The four of us were in the way. I was the only one who the van didn’t take,” one eyewitness told DNO.

Thirteen-year-old Nikita Celaire of the Convent High School (CHS) suffered a leg injury, while 13-year-old  Najwa Laflouf of the St. Martin Primary School, suffered injuries to her waist/back. Seven-year-old Sherniah Dupigny of the St. Martin Primary School was also injured in the accident. They were transported to the Princess Margaret Hospital for treatment.

Meanwhile, an eyewitness told DNO that the defendant had terrorized students of the Convent High School with a weapon earlier that day. That incident constituted the remaining three charges.

Matthew was charged for being on the premises and disrupting classes at the school, assaulting a teacher at the institution and wandering on the premises without sufficient reason or account for him being there.

Matthew maintained at his hearing this morning that he was not aware of any of the matters that he had been accused of.

The trial for his traffic matters was adjourned to May 27, 2010 while the other matters were adjourned to June 29, 2010.

Bail was opened to the defendant who was remanded at the State Prison.

(Hermisha Rolle/Staff Reporter)