Man fined $70,000 for slashing tyres of driver who failed to pay him over crash

A man was fined $70,000 or 30 month's imprisonment in the St Catherine Parish Court today for slashing the tyres of a man who reneged on an agreement to pay him following an accident.

Michael Mitchell, who pleaded guilty to malicious destruction of property, expressed frustration with the lack of action by the complainant to honour his promise to pay him for hitting his vehicle in October 2023.

"Him lick mi car and him agree fi pay mi, him jeep telling me lata, tomorrow and so forth. So me see him and cut the tyre dem," declared Mitchell.

Senior Parish Court Judge Yvette Wenthworth-Miller told Mitchell that he should have sued the complainant instead of damaging his car tyres.

The court heard that about 7 p.m. on March 3, the complainant was seated in his car along Agusta Drive in Portmore, St Catherine when Mitchell came up, opened his car door, grabbed him and then used a screwdriver to puncture the vehicle's front tyres.

Mitchell then returned to him vehicle and drove away.

The matter was reported to the police, which resulted in he being arrested and charged.

- Rasbert Turner

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