The drive of the ill-fated truck, which claimed the lives of 14 persons in Portland on December 19, was yesterday slapped with multiple charges by the Port Antonio police.

Mechanic Christopher Devon Clarke, 31, who surrendered himself after being on the run for 10 days, is charged with 14 counts of manslaughter, no insurance coverage, operating contrary to his driver's license and failing to report an accident and more person.

Overloaded

Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) liaison officer for Portland, Sergeant Dwayne Campbell, explained that the charge of 'more person' means that at the time of the accident, the truck was transporting more people than the amount allowed by law.

"In other words the truck was overloaded with people," he said. "According to law a truck (that truck included) is only allowed to carry or transport three persons."

Trained personnel

Since turning himself in to the police on December 29, Clarke underwent four days of counselling conducted by trained personnel attached to the Jamaica Constabulary Force. And just days ago Clarke's attorney, Carl McDonald, told THE STAR that his client did not commit any offence, as the roadway simply broke away, resulting in the fatal accident.

Clarke is booked to appear in a Resident Magistrate court in Buff Bay this morning to answer to the charges.

Fourteen persons including a 10-year-old boy lost their lives after a market truck driven by Clarke, which was transporting higglers and farm produce to the Coronation Market in downtown Kingston, plunged over a precipice at Dam Bridge in the Rio Grande Valley.

Seven persons survived the accident including Lynford Jackson, who is recovering at the St Ann's Bay hospital from a fractured arm and leg.