A Grand Court case of causing death by dangerous driving remains in limbo, after the latest psychiatric report suggested the defendant, Tarrick Kevin Crawford, is not fit to enter pleas.
Reading from the report on Friday, 3 Feb., prosecutor Greg Walcolm told the court, “The penultimate paragraph would suggest we will need to do another neurological report, as the initial findings of the psychiatric report indicates the defendant’s inability to properly comprehend the proceedings would make him unfit to be arraigned.”
Crawford, 29, was the driver in a high-speed collision that claimed the life of Shayne Ewart on 16 Jan. 2022.
A psychiatric report into Crawford’s cognitive abilities states, “[A] conclusion of diminished responsibility is based on his ability to comprehend the proceedings of court so as to make a proper defence, with his slow capability of information processing he would find it difficult to concentrate on the proceedings and so not be considered fit to plead…”
If the findings of the report are accepted, Crawford could be found not guilty by reason of diminished responsibility.
However, Crawford’s attorney explained that before such a verdict could be reached, another report would have to be commissioned.
“It is a prerequisite for there to be two fitness-to-plea reports,” said Oliver Grimwood. “The initial report was commissioned by us, so it may be the case that the prosecution may want to commission its own report, in addition to the neurological report which was suggested by our expert.”
Walcolm told the court that the matter was further complicated by the fact that Crawford could be facing similar charges for an unrelated incident.
He has been released on bail and is expected to return to court on 28 April.
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