Former government Senator Curtis Richardson denies causing the death of Mr Warren by driving without due care and attention
A police officer told a jury today that defendant Curtis Richardson claimed to be a ‘good Samaritan’ while being arrested as a suspect in the investigation of the incident that killed Marco Warren.
Former government Senator Curtis Richardson denies causing the death of Mr Warren by driving without due care and attention.
PC DeForest Evans, Tactical Operations within the Roads Policing Unit, told the jury he was put in charge of the investigation.
He described specifically seeking out anything of evidential value from the scene of the incident.
This included searching along Trinity Church Road and Fractious Street near Bay Corner and to relay any findings Detective Christopher Sabean.
He said he seized a Kia Rio vehicle, on May 24, 2023, belonging to crown witness Renee Wallace and the Hyuandai H1 taxi vehicle driven by defendant, Curtis Richardson, to be examined by the forensic support team and traffic collision investigator.
On November 6th that same year, PC Evans said he arrested and cautioned Mr Richardson at the Hamilton Police Station on suspicion of causing the death of Marco Warren by dangerous driving.
He told the court what Mr. Richardson said: “I was told by Detective Jason Smith that I would be answering some questions. I asked if I was a person of interest. Now I’m arrested? I was being a good Samaritan.
“Next time, I will just drive off.”
Later that evening, after conducting a video interview with Mr Richardson alongside two other detectives, PC Evans said he charged Mr Richardson with careless driving.
During cross examination, defense counsel Victoria Greening asked PC Evans if he recalled a witness statement from Renee Wallace stating that she saw a Mazda hatchback car in the area of Bay Corner.
He initially denied remembering that part of Ms Wallace’s statement.
Do you recall her stating,”It was traveling quite fast. I had to move away – closer to the left hand side of the road.”
PC Evans replied: “In reviewing CCTV footage, I did not see a Mazda. Nothing of evidential circumstance was recovered.”
In his work on the case between May 14 and October 31 that year, PC Evans said he tried to identify the BMW i3 that was in close proximity to T1194, driven by the defendant.
Under questioning on the initial arrest of Mr Richardson, he said he carried it out after speaking with Detective Smith.
He told the court there was an arrangement for Mr Richardson to come in and give a witness statement at the police station.
He said Mr Richardson was advised to contact Detective Smith because he wanted to help the family of Mr Warren.
The prosecution’s case rests.
