Attorney Visiting Cayman Fined $1,300 After Pleading Guilty To Driving Under The Influence & Colliding With Two Vehicles
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By Alric Lindsay
Terence Cushing, a attorney visiting the Cayman Islands, appeared in the Summary Court today, September 29. 3025, to face charges of careless driving and driving under the influence (blood alcohol was more than double the legal limit). Magistrate Gunn fined him $1,300 and disqualified him from driving in the Cayman Islands.
Background
Reportedly, Cushing arrived from Panama and planned to stay Thursday and Friday, and leave Saturday.
On Friday, he was involved in two traffic collisions.
He admitted causing the first collision by cutting someone off. As a result, his rental car was damaged.
Unfortunately, Cushing did not stop immediately. Arguing this point on his behalf, his attorney, Stacy-Ann Kelly, said this was due to nervousness, being unfamiliar with the roads, driving on the opposite side compared to the US, and GPS confusion.
In the middle of confusion and attempting to pull over, he hit another vehicle. The second driver followed and blocked him in a cul-de-sac, preventing him from leaving.
Before sentencing Cushing, Magistrate Gunn considered the following:
** Cushing has no prior legal trouble and has an otherwise impeccable record.
**He expressed nervousness, being lost, and unfamiliarity with the location.
** Alcohol was involved; he was two and a half times over the Cayman Islands’ legal limit for driving.
**He pleaded guilty early, indicating remorse and acceptance of fault.
**The police noted insufficient time to obtain repair estimates, but the car was insured.
Magistrate Gunn stressed the seriousness of drink driving and the aggravating factor of having two accidents. However, she gave him credit for his early guilty plea and good character.
Rather than sending him to prison, Magistrate Gunn fined him $600 fine or, alternatively, face 60 days’ imprisonment for careless driving. Further, he received six months’ disqualification from driving in Cayman.
Lastly he received a fine of $700 fine or, alternatively, face 70 days’ imprisonment for driving under the influence, with a 15-month driving disqualification.
His attorney pleaded that his disqualification commence at 7pm tonight to give him time to return the rental vehicle. Magistrate Gunn granted this request.
Cushing has seven days to appeal the judgment.
