A jury has convicted Station Sergeant Troy Ryan O’Neal Small of causing the death of a 74-year-old church deacon by dangerous driving three and a half years ago.
The verdict was delivered on Friday afternoon in the No. 5 Supreme Court, after less than two hours of deliberation by a nine-member jury—six women and three men—following the summation by Madam Justice Pamela Beckles.
Small, of Hoytes Terrace, St James, had pleaded not guilty to causing Allman’s death by driving a police vehicle on Black Rock Main Road, St Michael, at a speed and in a manner dangerous to the public, having regard to all the circumstances, on December 8, 2021.
Allman, of Oxnards, St James, was returning home from a church meeting at Power in the Blood Assembly, Tudor Bridge, when the police vehicle, which was responding to an emergency and being driven by Small, collided with his car at the junction of Black Rock Main Road and Fairfield Road around 8:30 p.m. He died at the scene.
Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Krystal Delaney, assisted by State Counsel Anastacia McMeo-Boyce, requested a pre-sentence report. She did not object to Small remaining on bail pending sentencing.
Madam Justice Beckles, who presided over the month-long trial, thanked the jury for their service and adjourned the case until November 5. Small is being represented by Senior Counsel Arthur Holder and attorneys Ensley Grainger and Brandi Browne.
During the trial, the court heard from several witnesses, including traffic crash/homicide investigator Sergeant Andrew Sandiford, who determined that the police vehicle collided with Allman’s car because the officer failed to comply with a red light. He said the vehicle was travelling at approximately 106 km/h at the time of impact.
Inspector Leroy Hope, the lead investigator, told the court that police officers must comply with traffic laws and that there are “no exemptions”.
Small said he and another officer were on mobile duty in Prospect, St James, when they received a radio call about a man armed with a knife threatening to commit suicide. He testified that he activated the police beacons and siren, and that other motorists had pulled aside to let the vehicle pass.
Approaching the Channel Supermarket complex, Small said he saw the traffic lights on red and began to slow down. He noticed a pick-up truck in the middle of the road, which then moved, allowing him what he believed was a clear path through the junction.
“I did not expect, having seen that clear path, for anybody else to pass, and I continued. As I continued and passed the lights into the junction, then the vehicle came in my path and I braked…. Miller [the officer with him] shouted ‘Stop!’ I braked the same time and we collided,” he testified.
Small told the court he rushed to Allman’s vehicle and tried to assist him, holding him until the ambulance arrived.
He also stated that when responding to emergencies, officers often breach stop signs, traffic lights and no-entry signs “as long as it was safe to do so”, and testified that the use of flashing lights and sirens “takes substantial authority over the lights”.
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