The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

THE man whose truck allegedly mowed through a crowd during the Labour Day Parade and consequently caused the deaths of four women has been granted bail by a Supreme Court judge.

Justice Bernard Turner granted 23-year-old Travis Lamar Sawyer $8000 bail last week ahead of his next court appearance on November 13, at which time he will be served with a voluntary bill of indictment.

Sawyer must also report to the Central Police Station every Monday before 6pm until that time.

Last month, the Silver Gates resident was charged before Assistant Chief Magistrate Subusola Swain with four counts of manslaughter by negligence stemming from the June 1 incident, which also injured 24 people.

It is alleged that on the Friday in question, Sawyer, by means of unlawful harm, negligently caused the deaths of 41-year-old Tabitha Haye, 48-year-old Tami Patrice Gibson, 51-year-old Kathleen Fernander and 55-year-old Dianna Gray-Ferguson.

Shortly after 10am, participants in the annual Labour Day parade were walking north on East Street in the vicinity of Shirley Street, when a green Ford F150 truck, which was a part of the parade, descended the hill towards Shirley Street.

According to initial reports, the vehicle, which at the time had no driver, ran into a number of people who were a part of the parade, resulting in them receiving injuries. The truck came to a stop after hitting a Nissan vehicle, parked in a nearby parking lot.

Two people were pronounced dead at the scene, while 26 others were taken to hospital. Two women later died at the hospital, which was forced into mass casualty mode.

The driver of the truck was subsequently taken into custody.