PHILIPSBURG--The Joint Court of Justice on Wednesday sentenced Tevin Honore (27) man to twelve months, six of which were suspended, on two years’ probation, for causing the sudden death of schoolteacher Bas de Haan in a traffic accident on Airport Boulevard on September 6, 2016.
In sentencing, the Court of Appeals followed the demand of the Prosecutor’s Office, which had charged Honore with speeding and reckless driving and held him responsible for the 27-year-old teacher’s death.
The Court of First Instance sentenced Honore on May 25, 2017, to one year, six months of which were suspended, on two years’ probation. His driver’s licence was also suspended for two years and he was ordered to pay NAf. 12,079 in damages to De Haan’s family.
The Joint Court also imposed these elements of the penalty, which also included the confiscation of a 2001 Suzuki Grand Vitara.
On top of that, the Appellate Court also sentenced the defendant to payment of a NAf. 500 fine for “very careless” driving.
“As the driver of a car, the defendant has driven very carelessly and very inattentively on the road and caused a fatal collision with a cyclist driving in the opposite direction, in overtaking [other vehicles – Ed.] at a time and place where that could not be done safely,” the Court stated in the verdict.
Honore’s driving manners made him “seriously” guilty of the accident and of the victim’s death, the Court said in stating that a prison sentence was warranted.
The six-month probation period was imposed to make clear that Honore cannot afford to slip back into the same careless behaviour, it was stated.
