Cops awaiting DPP’s ruling on lawman’s death in St James hit-and-run case
Published:Saturday | January 18, 2025 | 12:05 AM
WESTERN BUREAU:
It would appear that the charges levelled against Dillon Reid, the St James man implicated in the October 2024 hit-and-run death of Constable Linroy Codner, will be addressed separately, as he is now before the court for other offences arising from the incident.
When Reid appeared before the St James Parish Court on Wednesday, he was only called upon to answer the charges of not having insurance coverage, driving dangerously, having no driver’s licence, failing to stop at the request of a constable, and not stopping after an accident.
Reid’s attorney, Chumu Parris, told presiding judge Kaysha Grant-Pryce that his client was not prepared to answer to those charges, as he had come expecting to deal with the greater issue of causing death by dangerous driving.
In response, the investigating officer told the court that the file in relation to the death by dangerous driving charge has been sent to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for a formal ruling.
“The order was made through this court for certain things to be done at a certain time. Arising from that, with the material that the police had, certain traffic offences were proffered against Mr Reid, and he was summoned for those charges. Following which, a file was prepared and subsequently submitted to the Office of the DPP [in relation to the death by dangerous driving charge], and we are now awaiting that ruling,” the officer told the court.
“I spoke with the superintendent this morning, who indicated that the Criminal Investigation Branch headquarters is actually in dialogue with Ms Claudette Thompson [the acting DPP] to get an early ruling in the matter pertaining to certain other aspects of the case,” the officer added.
‘A big matter’
Following that explanation, the judge set the other traffic matters for continuation on March 12 and bound over Reid for that date.
“There is a big matter that you will be summoned or arrested and taken back into custody for. We all know that matter, sir; look out for that matter, as that matter is coming. What is happening in relation to that matter is that the police have sent the file to the Office of the DPP, and they are going to rule in relation to that matter,” Grant-Pryce told Reid.
“You are before the court now in relation to these matters: no insurance coverage, driving dangerously, no driver’s licence, failing to stop at the request of a constable, and not stopping after an accident. On March 12, you will return to court in relation to these matters.”
Reid surrendered to the police on October 5, 2024, one day after Codner was struck and flung over a precipice by a white Toyota Probox motor car while he was on duty in Granville, St James. Codner subsequently died of his injuries on October 20.