Kenyatta Benjamin to Be Arraigned June 30 in Fatal Andre Simon Crash Case

ST. JOHN'S, Antigua and Barbuda - A Hatton man accused of dangerously driving the vehicle that struck four cyclists on a training ride in May 2022, fatally injuring national cyclist Andre Simon, is scheduled to appear before the High Court on June 30 for arraignment.

Kenyatta Benjamin appeared before Justice Ann Marie Smith on Monday, when the court set a date for him to formally answer the charge. Should Benjamin enter a not guilty plea, the matter will be scheduled for trial.

The charge arises from a Mother's Day collision along Sir George Walter Highway in May 2022. Prosecutors allege that Benjamin's vehicle struck four cyclists who were participating in a training ride: Andre Simon, Sean Weathered, Ghere Coates, and Tiziano Rosignoli. All four were transported to hospital following the incident.

Weathered, Coates, and Rosignoli subsequently recovered and were discharged. Simon, however, sustained catastrophic injuries, including severe head trauma and internal bleeding. The 36-year-old father of one spent several weeks in the Intensive Care Unit at the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre before being airlifted to a specialist facility in Texas on July 2, 2022, for advanced medical treatment.

Simon died in the United States approximately 13 months after the crash while still undergoing care. His death elevated the seriousness of the case, transforming a dangerous driving incident into a fatal one, and it is that outcome which now underpins the charge before the court.

The case has carried sustained weight in Antigua and Barbuda since the Mother's Day collision first brought Simon's condition to public attention. A recognised national cyclist, Simon spent weeks in critical condition before being transferred abroad for specialised care. His fellow cyclists - Weathered, Coates, and Rosignoli - recovered, but Simon's injuries proved unsurvivable. His death in the United States, more than a year after the crash, marked the end of a prolonged and painful ordeal for his family and those who had followed his condition.

For the justice system, the June 30 arraignment is the next formal procedural step. Justice Ann Marie Smith presided over Monday's appearance, at which the arraignment date was confirmed. Once Benjamin enters his plea before the High Court, the court will determine whether the matter proceeds to trial. A not guilty plea would trigger a trial schedule, requiring prosecutors to present their case in full - including evidence that Benjamin drove dangerously and that his driving caused the fatal injuries sustained by Simon.

The crash occurred on a public highway during an organised cycling training session. Four athletes were struck by a vehicle on Sir George Walter Highway. Three recovered. One did not. Simon's journey from the scene of the crash to intensive care at the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre, then onward to a specialist facility in the United States, and ultimately to his death more than a year later, forms the factual basis of the case now before the High Court.

Benjamin faces a single charge of dangerous driving. He has not yet entered a plea. That step is expected when he returns before the court on June 30

Explore businesses in Antigua and Barbuda at drovus.world/ag/