Driver charged with causing five people's deaths to return to court Monday

The prosecution is to respond next week to a bail application made today in the case of Delroy Rodney, a taxi operator who is charged with causing the deaths of five people in a vehicular crash on Monday in Westmoreland.

Rodney, who is represented by attorneys Lambert Johnson and Faith Salmon, made his first appearance in the Westmoreland Parish Court before Senior Parish Judge Steve Walters.

However, his case was adjourned until Monday. 

“The defence made the application for bail and the prosecution will respond on Monday for the judge to give the final say," Salmon told The Gleaner.  

She has also sought to refute media reports that her client, who is a senior member of the Belmont community in the parish, had fled the scene of the accident. 

“He is not a flight risk, he has been at my chambers from 8:30 yesterday morning, “ Rodney's attorney insisted. 

Rodney is charged for the deaths of 15-year-old Lavecia Forrester and her 39-year-old mother Petrina Wallace of Gordon district, Whitehouse, Westmoreland; Oneil Allen and his mother, 65-year-old Angela Samuel, both of Mount Edgecombe; and 54-year-old Janet Thompson, of McAlpine, also in Westmoreland. 

It is reported that about 3:30 p.m. On Monday, November 13, all five deceased persons were aboard a grey Toyota Noah when the vehicle collided with a white truck. They were transported to the hospital where they were pronounced dead. 

Rodney, who was driving was later charged with five counts of causing death by dangerous driving. 

-Albert Ferguson 

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