Artesia primarily covers court stories, but she also writes extensively about crime.
A jitney driver was on Tuesday given one year of probation after he pleaded guilty to assaulting a woman with a wrench and threatening to harm her.
At his arraignment before Assistant Chief Magistrate Subusola Swain, Dustin Taylor, 39, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous instrument and threats of harm.
Taylor risks serving three months in prison should he violate his probation in respect of the assault charge, and a default sentence of 30 days’ imprisonment is attached to breach of probation for the threats of harm charge.
The prosecutor, Inspector Lincoln McKenzie, told the court that Stephanie Riley confronted Taylor on September 21 after he pulled his bus in front of her home, blocking her driveway.
During the argument that followed, Taylor waved a wrench at Riley and threatened to harm her.
In mitigation, attorney Keevon Maynard said no one was harmed in the incident and that it was “merely an exchange of words”.
Maynard asked the magistrate for mercy since Taylor, a father of five, had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.
