Cop gets $1.5M bail over deadly Mahaica accident

A Police Corporal was today granted bail of $1.5 million after being charged with the horrendous accident at Mahaica, East Coast Demerara (ECD), that claimed the lives of two persons.

27-year-old Lawrence Carmichael of Seafield Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB), was hauled before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court and was slapped with two counts of dangerous driving.

The charge against Carmichael stated that on February 2, 2022, at Mahaica, he drove a police vehicle, PAB 3143, in a dangerous manner to the public, thereby causing the deaths of Christopher Bhagwandat and Shereeda Persaud.

Lawrence Carmichael

The cop was represented by attorneys Dexter Todd and Dexter Smartt. Persaud’s relatives renewed their call for justice following the court's decision.

Bhagwandat, 21, and Persaud, 16, lost their lives after the car they were in, was involved in a four-vehicle pile-up during a high-speed chase by the police.

At the time of the accident, Bhagwandat was the motor car driver of PNN 8852, which was being pursued by a police vehicle, PAB 3143, after he allegedly drove away when stopped at a police station roadblock.

“According to Corporal Carmichael, as they were pursuing the vehicle on the Mahaica Bridge, the driver pulled right and collided with the force vehicle, which collided with the bridge rail, and both the force vehicle and PNN 8852 collided with the motor canter, GJJ 9151” which was proceeding in the opposite direction, the police stated.

Another motor car, PAB 8222, which was driven by Derick Dickson, 29, of New Amsterdam, Berbice, and which was behind the canter, also sustained damage.