Driver charged after curfew stop leads to confrontation with cops

Following repeated encounters with the police, two persons were last week charged with breaching the national curfew implemented by the Public Health Ministry to avoid the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Keron Daniels, 26, of Lot 136 Continental Park, East Bank Demerara and Latioya Stanford, 32 of Lot 19 Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara both appeared before Magistrate Esther Sam at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court.

They pleaded guilty to their respective charges and were fined a total of $26,250.

Daniels was also charged with disorderly behaviour.

He, however denied the allegation and was released on $15,000 bail. That matter was adjourned until August 27th for trial.

The police, in a press release, said Daniels and Stanford, who were occupants of a car, PYY 4683, were arrested and charged after they were involved in encounters with ranks at Leonora and the western end of the Demerara Harbour Bridge last Wednesday for breaching the curfew.

According to the police, the first encounter occurred in front of the Leonora Police Station at about 8.40 pm. (The national curfew requires persons to be in their homes by 6pm with the exception of essential workers.)

The encounter was video recorded and posted on Facebook. In the video, which was seen by this newspaper, an individual was heard asking the Daniels, “Like you losing it? Yuh can’t do duh. You gah fah behave yuh self. Yuh can’t do duh…something you getting wrong here.”

Daniels responded, “You come move me…! Dah is you car? Dah is you vehicle? Bai pass me key bai,” as he sat in the car.

As the video continued, the individual told Daniels he was being disrespectful while questioning, “You drive and jam the police and saying something else? What is it? Why you doing that?”

An argument started and a woman, suspected to be Stanford could have been heard saying, “Every night y’all targeting this car like if thief deh in hay. When the thief them deh, they don’t run and go.”

Daniels then told the officer, “…I want yuh see you bruk me key.” He attempted to exit the car but the woman restrained him, saying, “Lef these people”.

As the tensions rose, Daniels asked the individual who was recording to move the light from in front his face.

He subsequently retrieved what appeared to be a hockey stick and attempted to hit the police, while saying, “Move duh light from in front me face”.

At one point in the video the police were heard cocking their weapons as Daniels continued.

The police asked him, “Wah happen to you? What?” Daniels refused to answer and wound up his window, which was heavily tinted.

The police were heard continuously asking him to step out of the vehicle before the video ended.

“Driver please step out of this vehicle… you try to drive away from the police and the police stop. This is a road block. You see the cones are there. The cones are there and you try to drive away from the police. Please step out of the vehicle... Please step out of the vehicle driver,” a police officer pleaded.

The police noted that Daniels was also recently summoned for similar breaches.

In their release, the police said while Daniels was abusive towards the ranks, they exercised restraint and he eventually drove away. Less than an hour after, the police intercepted the vehicle at the Harbour Bridge.