By Breaking Belize News Staff: A Belize-American driver initially charged with manslaughter by negligence in connection with a fatal 2023 traffic accident has pleaded guilty to a lesser offense and was fined in the High Court.
Jules Adderly appeared before Justice Candace Nanton on Tuesday, where he entered a guilty plea to causing death by careless conduct in relation to the September 23, 2023 accident that claimed the life of Oscar Mayen.
Adderly was fined $1,000, in default six months’ imprisonment. He was also ordered to pay $4,000 in compensation to the estate of the deceased, specifically to Mayen’s mother, as the victim had no children.
The court heard that on September 23, 2023, Adderly negligently drove his Toyota vehicle into the opposite lane of traffic, colliding with Mayen’s motorcycle. The impact flung Mayen from his motorcycle into a nearby ditch. Police reported that Adderly immediately went to Mayen’s aid and assisted him from the ditch, but Mayen later succumbed to the injuries he sustained.
In sentencing, Justice Nanton considered both mitigating and aggravating factors. While the offense carries a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment, the judge explained that custodial sentences are typically reserved for more serious circumstances, such as cases involving drunk driving.
Justice Nanton noted that she found no aggravating factors in this matter. Among the mitigating factors were that the incident was an accident, there was no evidence of speeding, and the case did not fall into the “worst of the worst” category. As such, she determined that a non-custodial sentence was appropriate.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, Maria Mayen described her son as a jovial and hardworking young man who supported her financially and was loved within his community. She said Oscar Mayen was her only son among three children and the family’s breadwinner. She told the court she was left heartbroken and in shock upon receiving news of his death and wished she had been granted more years with him.
Adderly was represented by attorney Javier Eilliams, while the Crown was represented by Crown Counsel Denfield Dennison.
The post Jules Adderly fined $1,000 and must pay $4,000 to Oscar Mayen family after guilty plea in fatal 2023 traffic accident appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: A Belize-American driver initially charged with manslaughter by negligence in connection with a fatal 2023 traffic accident has pleaded guilty to a lesser offense and was fined in the High Court. Jules Adderly appeared before Justice Candace Nanton on Tuesday, where he entered a guilty plea to causing death by
The post Jules Adderly fined $1,000 and must pay $4,000 to Oscar Mayen family after guilty plea in fatal 2023 traffic accident appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.