The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A Coroner’s Court jury found yesterday that a 2024 traffic accident involving a Supreme Court Justice’s SUV and a 17-year-old motorcyclist was an accidental death.

The decision in the death of Brieon Sweeting came early in the afternoon after four days of testimony before Coroner Kara Turnquest Deveaux. The jury had the option of returning an adverse finding of gross negligence manslaughter, but did not do so.

Justice Gregory Smith’s SUV collided with Sweeting’s motorcycle on September 8, 2024. Sweeting lost control of the bike and crashed into the gate of a nearby residence on the western side of the road.

Justice Smith was not present for the full proceedings; however, his statement was read into the record. No members of the deceased’s family attended the reading of the findings.

Evidence indicated that Justice Smith, driving a black Ford Explorer, struck Sweeting’s black Yamaha XTZ125E motorcycle while attempting to turn west while heading northbound. Sweeting was travelling north on the western side of the road at the time of the collision. He was later pronounced dead at Princess Margaret Hospital.

A pathologist testified that Sweeting died from a fractured skull caused by blunt force trauma. Toxicology results showed he had high levels of alcohol in his system at the time of his death.

Donard Leslie Brown served as the evidence marshal.