By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
A 34-year-old man broke down and cried in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday after being fined $20,000 for killing a married couple on Christmas Day over a year ago.
Alexander Butler’s tearful display came as he apologised to the family of Brent and Eulona Johnson for causing their deaths that fatal night.
Butler, who admitted to driving his vehicle in a manner dangerous to the public, told the victims’ relatives he was not a “bad person” and expressed deep regret for his actions.
“I’m sorry… It’s killing me inside honestly. These ain’t no fake tears,” he told the court, while begging the family for forgiveness.
The daughter of the deceased victims was among those present in court. When asked by the magistrate if the family wished to say anything to the defendant, they opted to remain silent.
Several police officers were expected to testify against Butler during trial yesterday after he initially denied causing the couple’s death through reckless driving during his first appearance in the court early last year.
However, he owned up to the offences during his hearing before Senior Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans and was subsequently ordered to pay $10,000 each on the two counts of killing in the course of dangerous driving.
Magistrate Vogt-Evans warned failure to pay the $20,000 fine would result in him spending one year behind bars on each count, which would run consecutively.
She also revoked his driver’s licence for five years.
The latest sentence comes after the 34-year-old was fined $250 last year after pleading guilty to driving without third party risk insurance on the night of the incident.
While delivering her sentence, Magistrate Vogt-Evans told Butler that while he seemed remorseful for his actions, he should have also received a custodial sentence given the fact that two lives were lost.
She said the fines imposed were the maximum sentence according to Bahamian law, but suggested that current legislation regarding reckless driving needed to be tightened.
“I don’t know if that was my mummy and daddy and I could sit here and listen to the court give a fine, but that’s what the law says,” she said. “… But paying the Queen’s fine of $20,000 does not help the families of the victims.”
In a further reprimand, the magistrate told the accused that his actions were plain “stupid” and added that he ought to pay for it.
She further stressed that too many traffic fatalities have happened due to reckless driving and warned that her “posture” will be different going forward when presiding over matters of a similar nature.
“I really should have sent you to jail and made you pay the money for your stupidity,” she continued.
After the sentences were read, Butler lowered his head and quietly sobbed after taking his seat.
His attorney, Wendawn Miller-Frazer told the court that her client would pay $8,000 that day and make monthly payments of $1,500 until the remaining balance was paid in full.
In response, the senior magistrate warned that the court will not extend any courtesies for late payments. The matter was subsequently adjourned to August 29.
Police said on the night in question, Butler was travelling east on West Bay Street when he overtook a vehicle and collided with a Nissan March, killing both the driver and the front seat passenger, later revealed to be the Johnsons.
Police said they received reports of the three-car collision shortly after 6 o’clock that evening involving a black Honda Accord, a burgundy Nissan March and a black Chevy Malibu.
“An inspection of the vehicles revealed that six occupants sustained injuries as a result of the accident,” police reported at the time.
“Emergency Medical Services were summoned and following their examination of the victims, an adult male and female were pronounced lifeless on the scene and four persons were transported to the hospital to receive medical attention.”
The couple’s cause of death was revealed to be blunt trauma to the head, torso and extremities.
The Johnsons were the owners of “The Sweet Life” ice cream shop in the Mall at Marathon.
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