Senior JP who left accident scene to be arrested and charged today
Published:Tuesday | August 13, 2024 | 12:12 AMBryan Miller/Gleaner Writer
Western Bureau:
A senior Hanover justice of the peace (JP), who allegedly fled the scene of an accident on Independence Day, after he reportedly crashed into the vehicle of Hanover Custos Dr David Stair, is to be arrested and charged by the Hanover police this morning.
The JP, who the police have identified as Alvin Jackson, of a Bull Bay address, also in Hanover, reportedly contacted the police after they made two visits to his home and did not find him. When he finally spoke with the police, he reportedly agreed to surrender this morning, at 10, at the Lucea police traffic department.
According to Acting Superintendent of Police Andrew Nish, the police commander for Hanover, when the police visited the accident scene, Jackson had already left. The police subsequently made efforts to locate him at his home without success.
“On the night in question, there were no serious injuries, however, when the police arrived on the scene, Mr Jackson was not there,” said Nish. “He (Jackson) is known to the police .... . My officers went in search of him twice. He was not found, but as a result, he called the station and made preparation to come to the station so that he can be formally charged.”
According to reports, on the night of August 6 (Independence Day), about 11 p.m., Stair was driving from Lucea to his home in Hopewell, also in Hanover, when on reaching a pothole-riddled stretch of roadway along the Lucea main road, in the proximity of the GV Service Station, he stopped to allow on-coming vehicles to pass.
Jackson, who was said to be travelling in the opposite direction, reportedly crashed into Stair’s car, causing damage to both vehicles. An argument reportedly developed between the men, who knew each other, and Stair decided to call the police.
However, on hearing that the police would be called, Jackson reportedly decided that he was not going to wait around and left the scene.
When the police arrived, Jackson was nowhere to be found, so Stair’s vehicle, which had been rendered inoperable, was towed away to police headquarters. At that point, Stair formally reported the accident.
According to Nish, while the Custos’ Suzuki Grand Vitara was taken to the police headquarters, it was not being impounded, and instead, was being held there for safekeeping.
“It is accessible to the custos anytime he actually needs it,” said Nish, who has been in touch with Stair in relation to the custody of the vehicle.
When The Gleaner contacted Stair yesterday, he said he was uninjured in the the accident. However, he said that he was now without a vehicle, which has restricted his ability to move around.