Driver on vehicular manslaughter charges offered bail

A St James man who reportedly hit two women in a vehicular accident, one of whom later died in hospital, was offered bail in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.

Carlington Grant of Porto Bello Heights in St James is charged with vehicular manslaughter, in which he allegedly caused the death of Aneisha Archer after hitting her with his motorcar.

The court was told that on August 20, Grant was driving along the Anchovy main road in St James when he swerved to avoid a pothole. However, he ended up on the embankment and allegedly hit Aneisha and her sister Shelisa.

The women were taken to the Cornwall Regional Hospital where Aneisha later succumbed to her injuries. Shelisa was admitted.

Grant's attorney Morrel Beckford made a successful bail application for his client when the matter was called up in court. He noted in his application that his client had no prior convictions.

"From the way the allegations have been outlined, it appears the prosecution has no eyewitnesses," Beckford observed.

Meanwhile, the prosecution told Resident Magistrate Vivienne Harris that the accident reconstruction and post-mortem reports, as well as one of the police officer's statement, are still outstanding.

"Does your client have any travel documents?" RM Harris asked Beckford.

"He does not, now, and has never had any," replied Beckford.

"Mr Grant, bail is offered to you in the sum of $250,000 with three sureties. You will report on Tuesdays at the Mount Salem Police Station between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., and you will return to court on November 29," Harris advised the defendant.