Scooter rider fined over $2K for hitting student pedestrian

An unemployed Baugher’s Bay man accused of hitting a high student pedestrian two years ago has been fined $2,450 in the Magistrate’s Court.

Javon Francis was fined after answering to the six traffic charges he racked up on the day in question.

He pleaded guilty to driving a vehicle when not covered by a policy of insurance, reckless driving, driving without a license, driving without a crash helmet, and driving without front and back identification plates.

The violations occurred on May 26, 2016, along the James Walter Francis Highway, the court heard.

What happened

About 6:30pm on the day in question, police responded to an accident along the highway.

The court heard that a 16-year-old Elmore Stoutt High School student was struck by the motor scooter Francis was riding. That accident subsequently caused a two-vehicular collision, the court heard.

The collision occurred when the student, who wanted to cross the road, waited on the light to turn red before attempting to do so. However, halfway across the road, he was struck by the scooter and he sustained injuries to his right arm.

Francis, however, told the court the youngster was partly to blame as “he was in the middle of the road”.

Francis further said he had only borrowed the scooter to make a “quick run to get some food.”

While fining the Francis on Monday, Magistrate Hakim Creque gave the traffic offender three weeks to source employment and pay the sum.