WESTERN BUREAU:

A Manchester resident involved in a motor vehicle collision that killed three people in Montego Bay earlier this month was offered bail in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court Friday.

Farmer André Clarke, 25, from Christiana, is charged with vehicular manslaughter. He was offered $400,000 bail with three sureties and had his case set for mention on August 27.

The allegations are that on May 23, Clarke was driving a Toyota Corolla motor car, with three passengers aboard, along Queens Drive in Montego Bay, when he lost control of the vehicle and collided with a Honda CR-V which was travelling in the opposite direction. One of Clarke's passengers died at the scene, and the other two died at hospital, and Clarke was subsequently arrested and charged.

not at fault

In making a bail application, Clarke's attorney, Albert Morgan, told Resident Magistrate Carolyn Tie that his client was not at fault for the collision.

"It was an unfortunate accident. He was heading into Montego Bay when the vehicle on the opposite side overtook a line of traffic, causing the vehicle in front of him to swerve," said Morgan.

Clerk of the court Natalie Malcolm said the accident reconstruction report was outstanding.

"We are waiting on the accident reconstruction report because there are no witnesses," said Malcolm.

"I will offer him bail ... he will report to the Christiana Police Station every Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.; and he is to surrender his travel documents," said RM Tie, before setting Clarke's case for mention on August 27.