3 years jail for causing death of friend

A 27-year-old woman will be spending the next three years behind bars after being found guilty for causing the death of her friend, 36-year-old Debra Pompey during a vehicular accident on June 24, 2017.

Tecona Welcome of 39 Austin Street, Campbellville, Georgetown, was convicted on Thursday by Magistrate Alisha George at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court where the trial concluded.

Welcome was initially sentenced to four years imprisonment but her Attorney pleaded for leniency. noting that his client is remorseful and lost her friend in the accident.

He also noted that Welcome had recently got married. As such, the Magistrate reduced the sentence to three years.

Welcome was on $500,000 bail during the trial.

The News Room had reported that Welcome was the driver of motor car PSS 7195 which she drove in a dangerous manner when she lost control and slammed into the left side of the bridge separating Sophia from Lilliendaal.

As a result of the collision, Welcome and four passengers of the car were injured while Pompey was killed.

The injured were 20-year old Rodlyn Grace of 24 Blyzeight Garden, E.C.D; 18-year old Shameica Martin of 84 Sideline Dam, Beterverwagting, E.C.D; 26-year old Tenisha Hubbert of 473 Bell West, W.B.D and 30-year old Saskiya Boyer of 228 Lodge, Georgetown.

The friends were returning from a girls’ night out.

Following the accident, a breathalyzer test was done and found Welcome’s alcohol consumption level to be 47 micrograms; that is 12 micrograms more than she is allowed to have while driving.

She was also charged for that offence and was fined $20,000.