Father Ordered to Pay After Teen Hits Pedestrians

Father Liable After Teen Driver Hits Pedestrians and Flees Scene

A High Court judge has ordered a man to pay more than $100,000 in compensation after his teenage daughter struck two pedestrians with his vehicle and fled the scene.

The ruling was delivered last week by Justice Joan Charles, who found Mark McIntyre legally responsible for the actions of his daughter, Jendayi McIntyre, in connection with a 2017 incident.

The matter stems from an accident that occurred on December 15, 2017, along Charlotte Street in Port-of-Spain.

Katsha James and Ansonia Pierre were walking along the eastern side of the roadway toward Independence Square when they were struck by a vehicle being driven by the then 18-year-old.

Evidence presented in court indicated that the driver continued along the road after the collision and only stopped after eyewitnesses pursued her and blocked the vehicle.

Both pedestrians sustained injuries. Pierre suffered soft tissue injuries to his back and abdomen, while James sustained more serious trauma and later experienced a miscarriage.

The two later filed negligence lawsuits against both the driver and her father, as well as the vehicle’s insurance provider, seeking damages for their injuries.

During the trial, the driver denied responsibility for the accident. She claimed she had been travelling slowly and had sounded her horn to warn pedestrians who were walking along the roadway. She also stated that her vehicle’s wing mirror may have brushed James’ arm but insisted that the car did not hit Pierre.

She further disputed that James’ miscarriage was linked to the incident.

However, Justice Charles rejected the defence and accepted the version of events given by the injured pedestrians.

In her ruling, the judge noted testimony that the driver was chased by members of the public immediately after the collision, supporting claims that the pedestrians had been struck and knocked down before the driver attempted to leave the area.

The court also determined that there was a direct link between the accident and the miscarriage suffered by James.

Additionally, the judge upheld a claim by the vehicle’s insurer, which argued that it should not be liable to cover the damages.

The company pointed out that the policy only permitted drivers over the age of 25 who had held a driver’s permit for at least three years. Since the driver was 18 and had been licensed for less than a year, the court ruled that the insurance policy did not apply in this case.

As a result, McIntyre was ordered to personally compensate the injured women.

James was awarded $70,000 in damages, while Pierre received $15,000. The court also ordered the defendants to pay $14,000 in legal costs to each claimant.

Attorney Ancil Moses represented the injured pedestrians, while Robin Ramoutar and Candace Dean appeared on behalf of the McIntyres.

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