Leshawn Forrester, 23, was charged Tuesday with a pair of crimes stemming from a late-night weekend encounter with police in which he allegedly drove through a roadblock.
Forrester, who was arrested in the early morning hours on Sunday, was charged with possession of an imitation firearm with intent to resist arrest and dangerous driving. Both charges will be heard in Grand Court, and Forrester will make his next court appearance for a preliminary inquiry on June 22.
Patrick Moran, deputy director of public prosecutions, presented the Crown’s evidence to Magistrate Valdis Foldats Tuesday afternoon. Forrester allegedly approached a police roadblock near Public Beach on Seven Mile Beach in a dark-colored Honda sedan late Saturday night, and then led police on a high-speed chase.
Two police officers were standing in the road, said Mr. Moran, and they had to leap aside when the Honda drove through the roadblock. Mr. Moran said that the car traveled within two to three feet of one of the officers as it roared through the roadblock. From there, police chased the Honda, which Mr. Moran said was traveling at speeds in excess of 70 mph, before it returned to the car park at Public Beach.
At that point, two males exited the car and ran, including one who appeared to be holding a firearm, he said. Those suspects are still at large, but Forrester was apprehended while sitting in the driver’s seat of the Honda. Defense attorney Lee Halliday-Davis pointed out that Forrester made no attempt to run away.
Later, while in police custody, Mr. Moran said that Forrester made a veiled threat to uniformed personnel. “You think you’re untouchable,” Forrester allegedly said. “Wait til I touch the road.”
Ms. Halliday-Davis conceded that Forrester’s driving was “undesirable” and could be said to be “dangerous” in the course of her request for bail, but she also pointed out that the police could not clearly see a weapon because it was late at night and they were at least 30-50 feet away.
Magistrate Foldats elected to withhold bail, saying he believed there was potential for further offenses or to attempt to intimidate witnesses in light of Forrester’s alleged comments toward police.
by Spencer Fordin.
You can read the original article from the Cayman Compass here.