Roger Clarke faces charges

Former minister to be arrested for causing death by dangerous driving

Thursday, October 07, 2010

DIRECTOR of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Paula Llewelyn yesterday ruled that former Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke be charged with causing death by dangerous driving in the case of St Catherine motorcyclist Daron Nicholson, 23.

According to the police, the DPPs ruling, done according to section 30(1) of the Road Traffic Act, was made yesterday

Neither the police nor Clarkes lead attorney, Queens Counsel KD Knight, could say last night exactly when the parliamentarian would be charged, but the legal team was arranging a date for their client to appear before the court.

We are working for an early court date, [possibly] a date for this week, Knight told the Observer.

The accident that claimed Nicholsons life occurred on Old Harbour Road on Monday, August 23, in the vicinity of Nightingale Grove, when the Toyota Prado Land Cruiser driven by Clarke collided with the motorcycle which Nicholson was riding in the opposite direction.

Yesterday, Knight said that Clarke, as expressed previously, regrets the fact that a young man died in that particular circumstance and that it has affected him in an emotional way. The lawyer, however, said his client would be cleared of any allegation of wrongdoing.

At the end of the day he will be blameless, Knight said.