Man charged in hit-and-run death of cop gets new court date
Published:Sunday | March 23, 2025 | 9:36 PMChristopher Thomas/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Dillon Reid, the St James man charged in relation to the October 2024 hit-and-run death of 44-year-old Police Constable Linroy Codner, has had his bail extended to May 7 following his first appearance in the St James Parish Court to answer a charge of death by dangerous driving.
Reid, also known as ‘CJ’ or ‘Bulbsy’, of a Blackshop address, also in St James, was previously before the court for several other charges relating to the October 4, 2024, incident. He was given the new date by presiding Parish Judge Kaysha Grant-Pryce when he appeared in court last week.
The court was told that an accident reconstruction report is currently outstanding from the prosecution’s case-file. This resulted in Grant-Pryce setting the matter for mention on May 7, when the file is expected to be completed.
In addition to the death by dangerous driving charge, Reid, who is represented by attorney Chumu Parris, is also charged with 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. He was summoned on those charges when he appeared in court on January 15.
Reid was formally charged on February 28 with causing death by dangerous driving, following a ruling from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions on February 21.
According to reports, on October 4, 2024, Codner, who was stationed at the Granville Police Station in St James, was on duty in Granville sometime after 3 p.m. when he signalled a white Toyota Probox motor car travelling along the roadway to stop. A team of police personnel had reportedly been tasked with stopping the vehicle, which was believed to be transporting firearms.
MULTIPLE INJURIES
The driver of the vehicle disobeyed the constable’s instruction and increased his speed, hitting Codner in the process. Codner was flung over a nearby precipice and suffered multiple head and body injuries.
The police constable was rushed to the Cornwall Regional Hospital, and then to the Falmouth Public Hospital, in Trelawny, where he was placed in intensive care in an unconscious state. He subsequently died of his injuries on October 20.
On October 5, the day after the incident, Reid surrendered to the police and was subsequently charged.
At the time of Codner’s passing, Superintendent Eron Samuels, the commanding officer for the St James Police Division, praised Codner, saying he was a dedicated officer who had served in other divisions prior to his assignment to St James. The constable’s death was also described as a significant loss to the Jamaica Constabulary Force.