Today’s due process for the West Coast vehicular tragedy is a bit like an apocryphal horse doing the Macarena on a field as the proverbial barn door gets sealed with Epoxy… This is part of the Nation’s court report –

Wayne Deron Collins was already on bail for serious drug-related charges and might not turn up to face his latest six offences.

The prosecutor was speaking when Collins, 32, of Grape Hall, St Lucy, appeared in the Holetown Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

The accused was not required to plead to causing the deaths of Gail, Shaquawn and Shadane DePeiza, along with Claire Smith, on August 1, by driving the vehicle S7590 on Mullins Road, St Peter, in a manner dangerous to the public.

He was also accused of, but pleaded not guilty to, driving without a licence, road tax or insurance, using fraudulent plates and not registering the vehicle with the Licensing Authority.

The prosecutor, who objected to bail for Collins, said: “The names of the one of the persons who appear in the charge, Gail DePeiza, was the surety in those other very serious offences.

“I’m also objecting to bail based on the fact that his other surety would’ve intimated other things to the court with respect to his intentions.”

The station sergeant added that the court also had to consider the safety of the accused.

However, Collins’ attorney Angella Mitchell-Gittens, who represented the accused with Carol-Ann Best, said while it was true that Collins was now without a surety with the death of Gail DePeiza, the two matters ought to be treated separately.

Meanwhile, should a study not be done on if bus passengers must be belted? In the Dominican Republic, only the driver has no belt, but he must have a legal permit to exempt himself…Anyhow, despite the fact the driver of the van showed remorse, the judge still deemed the man as a potential flight risk and used stringent measures to prevent it –

Magistrate Ian Weekes remanded Collins to Harrison Point until next Friday.

“The court has to take the position that when the accused was on bail, he returned to court and these are more serious matters,” the magistrate said.

“I cannot say, that on this occasion, I am persuaded to release him on bail,” the Magistrate added.