By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A JURY returned a finding of negligent vehicular manslaughter last Friday in the case of a man who fatally struck a 56-year-old woman in a 2019 accident on Baillou Hill Road.

Coroner Kara Turnquest Deveaux presided over the inquest, where a five-person jury delivered its findings regarding the death of Sherrymae Rolle at the intersection of Blair Street and Baillou Hill Road on April 20, 2019.

The driver, Trevor Lightbourne, reportedly hit Rolle with his 2012 Mitsubishi van as she stepped onto the road. She succumbed to her injuries the following day at Princess Margaret Hospital.

Pathologist Dr Kiko Bridgewater testified that the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head, torso, and extremities. His examination revealed broken ribs, a fractured left pelvis, and numerous abrasions on the right side of her body. Dr Bridgewater said he could not confirm if Rolle had been run over as he was not present at the scene.

Under questioning from K Melvin Munroe, attorney for the deceased’s estate, Dr Bridgewater explained that greater speeds can lead to more severe injuries in car accidents. He noted that Rolle’s head injury could have resulted either from impact with the vehicle or from hitting the pavement.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Walter Johnson, a traffic accident investigator, testified that the victim was three feet into the road when struck, and the defendant’s vehicle stopped 40 feet from the point of impact.

Following the jury’s adverse finding, the case file has been sent to the Offic of the Director of Public Prosecutions for a decision on possible official charges.

Lightbourne was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services over the weekend until he posted his £9,500 bail on Monday.

Angelo Whitfield presented the evidence, and Maria Daxon represented Lightbourne.