Hanover custos, senior JP case to stay in Hanover
Published:Friday | January 17, 2025 | 12:05 AMBryan Miller/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
The traffic accident case involving Hanover Custos Dr David Stair and senior justice of the peace Alvin Jackson, which was expected to be transferred to either the Westmoreland Parish Court or the St James Parish Court due to the men’s familiarity with the court staff in Hanover, will remain in Hanover.
The case, which stems from a traffic accident on Independence Day last year, is now set for February 19 in the Hanover Parish Court located in Lucea. The issue of familiarity has already caused one Hanover judge to withdrawn herself from the case.
When the case was called up in the Hanover Parish Court on January 8, instead of the expected transfer of the case, a parish judge from St James was seated adjudicate instead of a judge from the parish.
Based on the information before the court, on Independence Day last year, Stair was on his way home to Hopewell, after carrying out official duties in Lucea, when there was a collision between his vehicle and that of Jackson along the town’s main street.
Reports are that Stair had reached a pothole-riddled section of the main road in the vicinity of the G V Service Station when he stopped to allow the oncoming line of vehicles to pass on the other side of the road. Jackson’s vehicle, which was in the line of traffic passing, collided with Stair’s.
Both men refused to take responsibility for the accident and, as a result, Stair decided to seek the intervention of the police. However, instead of awaiting the arrival of the police, Jackson reportedly left the scene. When the police arrived at the location, they carried out preliminary investigations and later assisted Stair in moving his vehicle, which was too damaged to be driven, to another location for safe keeping.
While Stair reported the accident, Jackson failed to report the incident in the period specified by law. As a result, the police visited Jackson’s home twice, but he was not found. He subsequently responded to a message the police had left at his house and negotiated a visit to the police.
After contacting the police, Jackson was charged for leaving the scene of an accident, and failure to report an accident within the 48 hours prescribed by law. On his first court appearance on December 4, 2024, Jackson pleaded not guilty, and the matter was rescheduled for trial on December 16, 2024.
On that date, Jackson turned up with his legal team and, after some preliminaries, which involved the sitting judge withdrawing herself from the case, the matter was again rescheduled for January 8, 2025, when it was expected that transfer of the case to another parish was expected to be discussed.