Driver charged after high speed chase

The alleged driver of the vehicle from which a woman's body fell in Franklyn Town during a high speed chase with police, was remanded in custody until November 29, following his first appearance in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Thursday.

Kevin Nation, 24, is charged with assault at common law, perverting the course of justice, two counts of malicious destruction of property and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He pleaded not guilty. Nation was also slapped with additional charges under the Road Traffic Act, including not stopping after an accident, three counts of dangerous driving, disobeying traffic lights, two counts of travelling backwards unnecessarily, failing to report an accident and being in possession of an obscured registration plate.

The court heard that, on October 11, at 11 a.m., police were in patrol in downtown Kingston when they noticed a Toyota Probox parked along King Street. According to the police, the windows were wound up and the vehicle was shaking. As the police approached the vehicle, the driver sped off and ignored the lawmen's instructions to stop. A chase ensued and, upon reaching Norman Road in the Kingston Eastern Police Division, the driver knocked a police officer from his motorcycle and sped away in the direction of Franklyn Town. Upon reaching a section of Cumberland Road, the police noticed a woman's body that was flung from the vehicle, tumbling onto the roadway. The woman had several shots to the head.

The car sped away in the area and the woman, later identified as Keila Bryce, was taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead. The court heard that the driver of the vehicle, Kevin Nation, turned up to the police station days after the incident, with alterations made to the car.

The investigating officer told the court that discussions are being held with other governmental agencies to improve the investigations.

"We are in contact with certain entities, such as the JamaicaEye and CCTV cameras, so we can ascertain what was going on before this incident [Bryce's death]," the investigator told Senior Parish Judge Lori-Anne Cole-Montaque.

Nation was made the subject of a fingerprint order. He is represented by attorney-at-law Kymberli Whittaker.