Witnesses Testify In Curtis Richardson Trial
[Written by Don Burgess]
Jurors heard from three prosecution witnesses this morning in the trial of taxi driver Curtis Richardson.
Mr Richardson, 51, a former Progressive Labour Party senator, has pleaded not guilty to causing the death of footballer Marco Warren by driving without due care and attention on May 14, 2023.
The Crown alleges that Mr Warren was walking along North Shore Road near Trinity Church Road after leaving Bailey’s Bay Cricket Club when he was struck by a taxi driven by Mr Richardson.
Acting Police Sergeant Jewel Hayward, a crime scene photographer, showed jurors video of the scene, including blood on the road and dark-coloured trash cans in a driveway.
Acting PS Hayward said he used the light on an iPhone 13 Pro while recording the video.
Under cross-examination, he said the trash cans would have been visible without the phone’s light because the streetlights provided sufficient illumination.
He acknowledged that additional streetlights had since been installed in the area.
Acting PS Hayward also showed footage of two vehicles at the police garage in Prospect.
One vehicle was raised on a lift, allowing him to record its undercarriage and exterior.
The footage showed damage on the left side of one vehicle and a red mark on the front-left area of a vehicle.
Acting PS Hayward said he recorded the vehicles under the direction of Detective Chief Inspector Chaquita Simmons.
He explained that his responsibility was to document the vehicles, not interpret the physical evidence.
A witness, who is a taxi driver, told the court that he was taking passengers to St George’s at about 2.55am when he saw a person near Bay Corner while travelling east on North Shore Road.
The witness said the streetlight in the area was not working and the person was in the westbound lane.
He described the person as “unsteady on their feet” and wearing “all dark clothing fitted to his body”, which he said was “like a cat suit”.
Asked by the defence to explain what he meant by unsteady, the witness raised his hands above his head and swayed his body while in the witness box.
He said: “I was really concerned that the person would fall over the wall.”
The witness continued to St George’s. On his return journey, he found North Shore Road blocked, photographed the scene and warned other taxi drivers to travel around Harrington Sound.
Another witness, also a taxi driver, said he was taking passengers from Hamilton to St George’s sometime after 3am when he encountered a blockage in the westbound lane and saw a white vehicle with its high beams on.
The second witness said he got out of his taxi and saw a man lying on his back in the road wearing dark clothing.
A nurse was kneeling beside Mr. Warren and saying: “Breathe, breathe.”
The second witness said the man had a swollen eye.
He recognised fellow taxi driver Curtis Richardson and said: “I saw him pacing up and down on his phone.”
He heard the nurse ask Mr Richardson whether he had moved the man. Mr Richardson replied that he had not touched him.
Under cross-examination, the second witness acknowledged that he did not know whom Mr Richardson was speaking to on the phone.
The defence suggested that Mr Richardson could have been calling 911.
The second witness said he remained at the scene for about 15 minutes before continuing to St George’s with his passengers.
The trial is expected to continue throughout the week.
