THE driver accused of mowing down a policeman during a traffic stop in St Andrew last Thursday has been taken into custody.
According to head of the Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch (PSTEB), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Gary McKenzie, several charges have been laid against the man who was held on Saturday.
“He was charged with several road traffic offences, including dangerous driving, not stopping at the scene of a collision,” ACP McKenzie told the Jamaica Observer on Monday.
McKenzie said that the police officer, who is assigned to PSTEB’s Beat Officer Patrol Division, has since been discharged from hospital and is “recuperating slowly”.
The police had said last Friday that the incident was being probed by the Criminal Investigation Branch of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) as attempted murder.
It was reported that during a traffic stop, around 6:10 pm, the constable was struck by the motorist he had signalled to stop for a violation of the Road Traffic Act.
It is alleged that the cop was grabbed by the motorist, who objected to being recorded by the police’s body camera. The motorist then drove off, hitting the officer and pinning him under the vehicle, which ran over his head.
The high command of the JCF, in a press release on Friday afternoon, strongly condemned the attack on one of its officers.
“We denounce this senseless act of violence against our officers and reaffirm our commitment to upholding the law, safeguarding our citizens, and maintaining order. Any form of violence towards our officers will be met with the strictest application of the law. We urge the public to cooperate with law enforcement and refrain from actions that jeopardise lives. The JCF remains dedicated to ensuring safety and justice for all Jamaicans,” the release said.
