Portmore bus driver remanded, fined after pleading guilty

Rasbert Turner, Gleaner Writer

Bus driver Jermaine Morris, who was involved in a fatal crash in Portmore on Tuesday, today pleaded guilty to eight of his 85 traffic violations in the Spanish Town Resident Magistrate’s Court.

Some of the offences were for picking up and dropping off passengers at a place other than a bus stop, failing to use a seatbelt, driving without headlights and disobeying a traffic signal.

Morris was fined a total of $23,000 and had eight points taken from his driver’s licence.

Meanwhile, investigators have indicated that the charge of vehicular manslaughter is expected to be laid against Morris soon.

Noting the volume of the cases against Morris, Resident Magistrate Marcia Dumbar- Green instructed that the police compile the case before the court proceeds with the matter.

Morris was remanded until June 25.

Morris was the driver of the Hiace mini-bus which overturned and killed 15-year-old Lennox Lloyd, a student of Ascot High School in Portmore, St. Cathrine.

Six other students were injured in the crash.

Morris fled the scene but later surrendered to the Portmore Police.

It was later discovered that he had 85 outstanding traffic tickets.

rasbert.turner@gleanerjm.com