Bracker jailed over fatal road crash
Fatal crash on Cayman Brac 9 January 2015
(CNS): A 22-year-old man from Cayman Brac has been jailed for 16 months in connection with a fatal crash on 9 January last year. Jefferson Jeupe Laureano had pleaded guilty to causing the death of Raoul Muhammed Scott (22) by careless driving when he attempted to overtake his car when he was too close to the car and speeding. The men were both driving Honda Civics at the time of the fatal collision and lost control of their vehicles. Laureano, who was also injured in the crash, was not under the influence of alcohol and denied that he was racing at the time but admitted to burning rubber earlier in the day.
During a police interview in September he admitted to driving at around 60mph in a 40mph zone when he pulled up to overtake but claimed that, as he did, Scott pull his vehicle across the road to the right, and Laureano said he could not avoid hitting the rear of the victim’s car. A reconstruction expert suggested that Laureano was driving at around 70mph.
The court heard that Laureano pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and had shown genuine remorse over the death of Scott. Although causing death by careless as opposed to dangerous driving does not necessarily command a custodial sentence, based on the circumstances of the offence and the fact that the defendant was driving at almost twice the legal speed limit and had a previous conviction for careless driving, the judge hearing the case, Justice Malcom Swift, said his starting point was two years in custody.
Taking into account the early guilty plea, he reduced the sentence to sixteen months. The judge also ordered that Laureano would be banned from driving for a three-year period from the day of sentencing and said that he would have to re-pass his driving test before that licence could be restored.
Let me clear this up for you guys, There was 3 cars going east crossing the Hospital and about 1500 feet after crossing the Hospital Scott came up on the cars and overtook all 3 cars but when he got to Jefferson’s car Jefferson sped up causing Scott to speed up more to get cross’ after he got cross he jammed on brakes knowing that this was the fastest he ever went and a corner was coming up and Jefferson car then hit Scott’s car and pushed him into some trees and then finally came to a stop on a large Birch tree!! Max speed was probably about 65 mph, That’s the story on this incident.RIP Raoul ..
Both these cars were racing, whether anyone believes it or not. Both drivers were breaking the law. Neither driver had any intention of harming the other. If Scott had survived and Laureano had died, would Scott have been guilty of causing Laureano’s death? In this case the survivor should have been tried for any traffic laws broken, not for causing the death of the other racer. Scott’s death was a tragedy, but not intentional.
You seem to have a lot of say Barney as if you were there when everything happened. If you don’t know the facts you should keep your mouth SHUT! If there was racing going on Scott was not apart of it. He didn’t associate with Laureano. There’s no way the Scott family got any justice for their son’s death whether it was intentional or careless. Laureano deserves to be charged for breaking all the laws which he broke and get the right amount of time. The time he received isn’t fair to no extent.
Say, Anonymous 10:31, you talk about keeping one’s mouth shut,…… were YOU there?
Which Judge gives the smallest sentences , and which Lawyers get the smallest sentences for their clients is the answer to all your comments .
“Although causing death by careless as opposed to dangerous driving does not necessarily command a custodial sentence…”
What is wrong with us????? What is a life worth anymore?
Any time you get in a vehicle, you are in control of a potentially deadly weapon. It seems to me that it is the driver’s utmost responsibility to take all precautions at all times. It’s how I was taught.
First I would like to say that I this judgement was far pass unfair and gave the family of Raoul Scott no justice. Someone can get a higher sentence for any other offence than what Laureano received and I don’t see how this is a fair sentence for the extent of the crime.
And in regard to the comment from the person saying “it’s a shame you cannot punish the dead” you should get your facts straight!! And how heartless can someone be?! The victim here is Raoul Scott and he was in fact not racing! Because of Laureano and his carelessness is why Raoul died in that accident.
Im pretty sure you werent there to comfirm what actually happened. He indeed was doing wrong on the road and so was Jefferson
Really ? 16 months. Where is the message here. This young man is resposible for the “death” of another man. I really don’t understand our Judicial system anymore. It don’t make sense and it’s of my opinion that it really need a serious re-vamp. Actually a lot of issues better be resolved sooner then later. Those of us whom have experience the
before and after effects of other islands same as our current situation here in Cayman, I recognize the writing on the wall.
Racing. One driver pays for it with a 16 month sentence and 3 year driving ban, the other pays with his life.
Such a shame.
Not quite accurate, in that only one of them were racing.
How would it come to pass that one would run off the road because someone from behind was attempting to overtake? Clearly, if someone is overtaking too closely, then a slight tap on the brake will put them well ahead of you.
16 months. Did I ready that correctly?
12 years for the lady who conned a rich bloke out of some of his money & 16 months for taking a young man’s life.. Sense? None!
She intended for it, and it was planned out for months. What the driver did was a ‘young and dumb’ move and surely not intending to cause harm. That’s the hard lesson learnt, though.
John, wow, you can read someone’s mind..she intended and planned, … But he was not intending to cause harm.
Because no matter how much you “mod” these cars. In the end. They are still just family cars with flexible frames.
If modding these cars made them sports cars. Then porsche, ferrari and lamborghini to name a few. Would be out of business.
The whole modding scene is one big scam. It’s a way for an industry to milk billions out of naive people. Thinking that modding their car somehow makes it a sports car. Well, it doesn’t work that way. Look at every accident that has happened in cayman, over the last 5 years with drivers racings. Every time it’s been those riced out honda’s and civics. Not once have we heard of a porsche or bmw crash. There is a reason for that. And it’s really clear. Modding your car does not make it a sports car, nor will it have true sports car handling.
I believe one bmw crashed, flipped and caused burns to that Jamaican girl over 80% of her body. She also died btw. When is that guying going to get is month in prison?
You seem to forget or chose to forget there were two fatal accidents involving BMW automobiles. One on the bypass road just to the north of the roundabout by ALT, the other in the East End district.
Both cars were destroyed by fire after FIRST crashing. The occupants of both accidents were FATAL.
So please get your facts straight.
Oh, you mean those ivanw’s.Those are bmw’s that were written off after ivan.
Ya, those cars are the model of safety.
And notice i said “racing’ which is the key word of the day.
Not simply speeding.
There is nowhere to speed on any of the 3 Cayman Islands. We have lost countless amounts of young men to speed.
Then they should travel to where it is available. There are many things not available on the islands, people travel to get to these things. Everything is not available everywhere. There is not enough warm weather in Russia, Canada and Alaska, if the people want it, then they would travel to where it is possible.
A speed track was available in Grand Cayman and it appears it just wasn’t financially feasible to maintain. It is nice to want things, but sometimes you need to be practical and work towards getting them.
I don’t like speed period; whether it be on a race track or public road.
People that like to live on the edge usually don’t have anything to lose and that’s why they usually end up taking someone else’s life in the process of their reckless behavior. Too often people act without thinking and sometimes that simple mistake means a life being lost.
It’s truly sad to see the young men putting all their energy into material things instead of filing their brains with knowledge and information which they can use to progress in life. Most of these guys drive Honda Civics, accords etc….basically tin cans.
Parents need to do a better job at teaching their kids some common-sense!
I.E Faster you go, the lighter the car/bike is; and no matter how fast the car/bike goes, your body remains at “0” so when you hit something at a high speed you’re screwed!
Did I somehow misread the judgment?
So, he’s banned from driving while in custody…makes no sense!
Start the 3 year ban the day he gets out.
Steal some money and you get 5-12 years. Steal a life and you get a few months.
Something doesn’t add up.
Condolences to the family of the victim.
Only reason I wouldn’t call it stealing is because both drivers are responsible. Both drivers were speeding (racing). Shame you cannot punish the dead. They are already punished.
Raoul Scott was not racing. Family members and his friends who truly knew him, know that he was not the type of person to race. There is no evidence to prove that he was racing either.
His family should go ahead and bring a law suit against him for killing their son. Money won’t bring him back but the lost of will teach him a lesson.
Racing has been going on in Cayman Brac for years and there has been other fatalities because of it as well. Years ago, they used to do it on the Bluff. The only reason he’s serving time is because he’s not from here. None of the other drivers served anytime.
It doesn’t matter where a person is from. Once a crime is committed you should receive fair judgment for the matter. Since when punishment should.be based in your nationality?
That’s just beyond ridiculous.
you people need to stop saying that Raoul was not racing because it was facts he wanted to speed and did not know what he was doing because he was not an expierence driver!
so he is much in fault as the other person’s who were speeding!
lets be fear this man Laureno is a nice young man aswell so why are we only pointing fingers at him?
people need to question about the 3rd vehicle that was involved hhhmmm!
o wait no we just blame the Jamaican
im so disguted with the people in the cayman islands