Court punishes motorist who lied after crash

A 52-year-old native of the United States, who overturned a company vehicle and then reported it stolen, has pleaded guilty to making a false report to the police, adding that he initially lied because he didn’t want to be fired for causing the crash.

Adam Lawlor was ordered to pay the maximum fine of $500 when he appeared in the Magistrate’s Court.

If he does not pay the fine, he will serve six months in prison.

Senior Magistrate Tamia Richards, before sentencing Lawlor, noted: “Luckily for him the matter [of making a false report to police] is not taken very seriously in the Virgin Islands.”

In court, Lawlor explained why he committed the offence. “On the night that this happened, it was the second time I had crashed the vehicle… I was in fear I would lose my job; so I panicked and did not make a sound decision. Once I had more time to think about it, I came forward…to make it right.”

He said he was using his cellular phone while driving at the time it crashed. “I wasn’t paying attention.”

The prosecution reported that, on June 23 last year, the offender was driving his employer’s vehicle on the Threllfall public road when it overturned.

He left the vehicle at the crash site.

The next day, he visited the West End Police Station and reported that the said vehicle was stolen the day before.

Lawlor initially claimed that he went to the beach for a walk and, upon returning, he realised that the vehicle was missing.

Police later found the overturned vehicle.

Lawlor reportedly returned to the police station some time after, and told the law enforcers that the vehicle was never stolen.