Teenager arrested after drunken car smash

| 23/12/2009

(CNS): A sixteen year old boy has been arrested on suspicion of DUI after the car he was driving hit a concrete pillar last night, Tuesday 22 December 2009 on the West Bay Road. The incident which is one of a flurry of car smashes in the last few days occurred at about 10.10 pm when the young man was driving a Honda Civic south along the road. Police say that when the teen driver tried to negotiate a left turn into Camana Bay he appears to have lost control of the vehicle and struck a concrete pillar. All five male occupants of the vehicle sustained slight injuries.

The 16-year-old driver was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and driving without a license and insurance. No other vehicles were involved and police enquiries are ongoing. Inspector Adrian Barnett, head of the RCIPS Traffic department is once again warning people about the dangers of driving without being qualified and of the obvious consequences of drink driving.

“I cannot stress this strongly enough – do not get behind the wheel of a car unless you are qualified. Driving tests are in place for a very good reason – to make sure that you have the skills to be able to drive,” said the senior traffic cop. “These five lads were very lucky to have escaped with relatively minor injuries. Drinking and driving is a lethal enough combination on its own – but when you mix that with inexperience and a complete disregard for the laws of the road the results could potentially be fatal.”

In the wake of criticisms that the RCIPS has been paying too much attention to traffic incidents while appearing to ignore what people see as more serious crime such as the armed robberies and shootings, Inspector Adrian Barnett explained that this type of incident is why the police were pursuing the festive clamp down.

“We will have officers out in force throughout the holiday period to drive home the message that drink driving and other actions which impact on road safety in the Cayman Islands are unacceptable and will not be tolerated. We want this to be safe and happy Christmas for everyone on the islands – and we will not allow those who show disregard for the law to spoil it for others,” he added.

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  1. joe bananas says:

    Of course he was underage, driving without a license, no insuraance, drunk,driving a car that didn’t belong to him(maybe) and all that  but he is Caymanian and so is his parents so even though its THE LAW this is still CAYMAN. But by all means whine and cry about it but do nothing else as is the Cayman way.  For all the rest of us  Thank GOD none of us or our friends were killed this time.

  2. Richard Wadd says:

     Let’s see, 16 yo driving under the influence? That would make him a MINOR.

     Now, by Law, are the parents of this young reprobate not responsible for him? And as such, is it not THEY (the parents) that are accountable and should be Prosecuted?

    Their negligence could have easily cost someone’s life, perhaps even that of their own delinquent child.

    Hold the Parents accountable, set a precedent ! There are too many ‘Lawless delinquents’ running around this country causing mahem. It’s about time that we hold those responsible for their up-bringing accountable, the Parents.

    • Anonymous says:

       Has anyone considered the possibility that this young person snuck out of the house & stole his parent’s car? A one time offence does not make a child a delinquent.

      Hypothetical situation…. a 16 year old male sneaks out of the house & rapes a girl… should his parents be charged in that case as well? A 16 year old person is very capable of making their own decisions & mistakes, I think it premature to ask for the parents to be solely accountable. 

  3. Anonymous says:

    16 and driving with a car full if friends of same age, all drunk; where were the PARENTS? Whose car is this, how did he manage to leave(?home)   with someone’s keys? Not only inebriated but quite inexperienced from soundsof things and all of them need to give thanks and glory to God. They could just as eaisly been taken form their families.. Hope this is a wake up call for each one. Parents of young driversplease, please talk to your kids and if possible give them a curfew to be off the roads before the night ends at the clubs etc. if this help one teen it will be worth it.

    *Merry Christmas Cayman*

  4. Thomas Richard Harrie says:

    16, drunk, driving.

     

    Says everything.  Four other males in the car.  None old enough to drive?

    Quite simply, disqualify him from driving ever. 

    Charge all of them with conspiracy to perverse the course of justice.  If an innocent was killed, the others would have stood by to say they weren’t driving, and let the 16 year old take the blame.

     

    What a country this has become.  Every week the stories get worse.

     

    Tinpot republic we aim for, tinpot republic we get.

  5. Umm says:

    16 and driving – please explain that – time to xxxxclampdown….