Driver who mowed down firefighter in St Ann fined $600,000

Hortliff Thomas, the driver who pleaded guilty to mowing down fireman Lorenzo Douse in Ocho Rios, St Ann, has been fined $600,000 or 12 months' imprisonment.

Sentencing was handed down in the St Ann Circuit Court on July 9.

He was also suspended from driving for 12 months. 

Thomas was charged with vehicular manslaughter following the incident in 2022.

He however pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.

Facts are that about 2:40 p.m., on November 30, 2022, members of the St Ann Fire Brigade were responding to a fire near the Reynolds Cruise Shipping Pier along the Ocho Rios main road.

Thomas overtook a line of traffic and lost control of the vehicle, which slammed into the fire truck pinning Douse to the truck's body.

The car then burst into flames.

Frantic attempts were made to remove the pinned Douse.

Douse was eventually cut from the wreckage and rushed to the St Ann's Bay Regional Hospital where he died. 

Thomas was hospitalised from injuries received in the collision.

He was subsequently arrested and later charged.

- Rasbert Turner

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