Lucky break for police attacker

There will be no jail time for the 21-year-old man who threatened two police officers with a cutlass and had a laundry list of traffic offences.{{more}}

Lewis pleaded guilty to all the charges.

The only way Rodney Lewis of Arnos Vale will face jail time is if he fails to pay the three different fines totaling $1,600 that were handed down to him by Senior Magistrate Donald Browne last Wednesday, March 4, at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court.

The faces of the many Traffic Branch Officers in the court told a tale of obvious disappointment when Magistrate Browne announced Lewis’ sentences, especially the first one, which was a $350 fine to be paid in one month or six months imprisonment for threatening the police officers with a cutlass.

The other charges Lewis faced were: Driving a vehicle while disqualified; Driving an uninsured vehicle; Driving without due care; Driving with a defective tyre and refusing to obey the directions of the police.

He was charged $500 and $750 each with an alternative of six months imprisonment for the first two charges and reprimanded and discharged for the other three.

Police launched a manhunt for Lewis following the incident on Monday, February 23rd, which occurred in the vicinity of Richland Hill public road at around 6:15pm.

Police constables Corridon and Adams were on motor cycle patrol when they spotted Rodney Lewis driving a white 4-ton Hino truck (T2450) while disqualified to obtain a driver’s permit, and gave chase.

Lewis had been barred from obtaining a driver’s license on August 20, 2008 and was caught on November 20, 2008 driving again, and then came this latest breach.

Lewis refused to stop despite several attempts by the police to get him to do so.

When Lewis finally came to a stop and the officers approached him, he greeted them with a cutlass and fired a chop at Constable Corridon before driving off, as the unarmed officers retreated to safety.

“You are a stupid young man,” said Magistrate Browne in court as he told Lewis, adding, “you got cutlass, they have guns.”

“No your worship, if they had a gun he would not have been here,” interjected Station Sergeant Calvin “Gold-teeth” Glasgow.

Glasgow said that Lewis should be thankful that the officers weren’t armed; otherwise they would have been forced to defend themselves.

Along with Magistrate Browne, Glasgow also commended Lewis’ father Eric Hackshaw, who turned in his son to the law when he heard that a manhunt was on for him.

“This father did the wise thing by bringing him in,” Glasgow said.

“I am giving you a chance to pull yourself together…is jail I saving you from,” Magistrate Browne declared as police officers stared at each another in the court in disbelief.