Woman from hit and run sentenced to three years and six months in prison 

Thu, Aug 3rd 2023, 08:59 AM

A nail technician was on Wednesday sentenced to three years and six months at the Bahamas Department of Corrections after leaving the scene of a deadly hit and run in 2022.

Altamease Rolle was also ordered to pay $20,000 in compensation to the estate of the deceased. The 25-year-old was sentenced after she pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter in May.

The fatal accident happened on February 14, 2022 on John F. Kennedy Drive.

The victim, Sandy Rolle, was walking to his job at Bahamas Waste around 1:40 a.m. when he was struck by the convict's blue Toyota Passo.

Rolle shouldn't have been driving since she didn't have a driver's license. Her car was also unlicensed and uninsured.

Prior to the collision, the convict attended several sporting bars where she had several drinks.

The convict told police that she was getting drowsy and asked a friend to stay on the phone with her to keep her awake.

She said that she dozed off and felt her car hit something. After the impact, she noticed that the windshield of her vehicle had caved in.

Nonetheless, Rolle failed to remain at the scene of the incident and continued driving her damaged car to her friend's home.

When she arrived, she took a shower, and the following morning had the vehicle towed to her father's home.

Rolle surrendered to the Traffic Police Station on February 17, 2022, three days after the collision.

In his sentencing judgment, Justice Gregory Hilton said, "This court is unable to speak to the physical state of the deceased after being struck, but one can surmise on the possibility of an attempt to save his life had he received quick medical attention.

"The convict showed a lack of interest and concern for life. Her failure to stop and report the accident exacerbated the circumstances. A reasonable person would stop before proceeding to their destination. The convict did not. Therefore, the victim was deprived of his life and his family lost a loved one."

The judge noted that the victim's family was unable to make a fatal accident claim because Rolle's car was unlicensed and uninsured.

Hilton said that five years' imprisonment was appropriate for the crime. However, her sentence was reduced by one-third due to her early guilty plea.

Rolle faced a potential maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

In sentencing arguments, the prosecutor Kachina Thompson sought a sentence in the range of four to six years, plus $10,000 in compensation.

Rolle's lawyer, Bjorn Ferguson, suggested a six-month sentence in addition to $20,000 in compensation.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian

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