Trial date set for Tarrick Crawford after not-guilty pleas over fatal crashes

Tarrick Crawford
Tarrick Crawford is set to face trial in Grand Court after years of legal arguments.

A man who was charged with two fatal crashes in 2020 and 2021 is finally set to stand trial after years of legal arguments over his ability to enter a plea.

Tarrick Kevin Crawford appeared in court on Friday,  11 July, before Justice Cheryll Richards to face charges of causing death by dangerous driving, one in relation to the death of Chuck Elvis Ebanks in November 2020, and one concerning the death of Shayne Ewart in January 2021, as well as other traffic offences.

Chuck Ebanks
Chuck Ebanks was struck while working as part of a post-tropical storm clean-up team. – Photo: Churchill’s Funeral Home

In the first case, the Crown alleges that on 7 Nov. 2020, Crawford was driving an unlicensed and uninsured Honda motorcycle on Powell Smith Drive in West Bay when he hit and killed Ebanks.

Ebanks, 53, of West Bay, was working as a member of a post-Tropical Storm Eta clean-up team when he was struck shortly after 7:20pm. He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Crawford pleaded not guilty to charges of causing death by dangerous driving, causing death while being unlicensed and causing death while being uninsured.

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Shayne Ewart was killed in the 16 Jan. 2021 fatal accident. – Photo: Facebook
Shayne Ewart was killed in the 16 Jan. 2021 fatal accident. – Photo: Facebook

In a separate case, the Crown alleges that Crawford caused the death of Shayne Ewart, 24, by driving a Honda Accord dangerously on West Bay Road on 16 Jan. 2021, and inflicted grievous bodily harm on a passenger in the car. Crawford pleaded not guilty to both charges.

A trial date has now been set for 17 Nov. and Crawford was remanded in custody until that date.

The cases first came before the Grand Court in 2021 but have been delayed over the years due to legal arguments over Crawford’s mental health and ability to understand the court proceedings.