Police confirm minister not tested for alcohol following crash

Border Control Minister Dwayne Seymour’s blood alcohol content was not tested, following his collision with an excavator last week, police have confirmed.

The RCIPS, following Cayman Compass queries, stated that they were not able to secure a blood sample from the Bodden Town East MP in the aftermath of his early morning crash last week, when his car collided with the arm of a CAT excavator that was extending onto the road.

That collision on Anton Bodden Drive was the second crash the minister was involved in where no samples were retrieved, nor was he breathalysed.

Initially, police said in its statement on the 8 Aug. crash that a request for a sample of blood was made to the attending physician for investigative purposes.

There was no indication at that time that this request was not fulfilled.

Doctor objected, police say

The Compass has asked on separate occasions for an update on the results of the sample.

This publication learned that no sample was in fact taken from the minister, who is still recuperating at home.

Police said on Wednesday that, following a road traffic collision, and where the driver is in hospital, a police officer can request a specimen of blood.

“However, under law blood shall only be taken by a medical practitioner. In this case, the medical practitioner objected to the police officers request, on grounds that the provision of a specimen of blood would be prejudicial to the proper care and full treatment of the patient,” it said in its emailed response.

“The taking of a specimen of blood is totally outside the control of the police officer making the request and we are therefore guided by the Law in this regard,” the RCIPS explained.

Police said that officers had attended the hospital after the crash and requested a specimen of blood for investigative purposes.

“However, due to concerns at the immediate time about the seriousness of head injuries of the patient, the attending physician’s priority was to conduct a full CT Scan (Imaging) of the brain and, therefore, this was prioritized over the request by the police officer, in line with section 86 (2) of the Traffic Act,” the police told the Compass.

There was no further explanation as to why a sample was not sourced following the scan.

The Compass has reached out to the Health Services Authority to clarify why the doctor objected and what their policy is in such circumstances.

The minister was released from hospital later on 8 Aug.

Two Bodden Town youths, whose ages were not released, were bailed following their arrest on suspicion of carrying out a reckless and negligent act, having allegedly moved the excavator that Seymour collided with and placed its extended arm onto the road.

Second crash

This is the second time Seymour has been involved in a crash where he was not tested for alcohol.

In the first collision, in 2022, the minister, then a parliamentary secretary, crashed into a CUC pole just after 10:30pm on Friday, 28 Oct. on Hurley Merren Boulevard in George Town.

He said at that time that he left his office late before the crash happened. No other cars were involved.

Police at the time indicated that the collision involved material damage only with no injuries.

“There was no suspicion that the driver of the vehicle was intoxicated, therefore, no arrests were made,” the RCIPS told the Compass following queries in 2022.

Police policy

Police, in a previous response to Compass queries on its policy for testing drivers at the scene of a collision, stated that the Traffic Act does allow for breath testing of drivers following a collision.

“However, the Act makes it clear that the officer may request the driver to provide one. In this case, following close observations of the driver, the officer assessed and formed a professional opinion that a breath test was not necessary,” the RCIPS said previously, in response to queries following Seymour’s first collision.