Businessman wins gun battle as youth is charged

Kevaughn Staine

His attacker misfired, but thirty-three year old businessman Derrol Vernon did not, and a twenty-one year old Belize City resident is now charged with aggravated assault. Kevaughn Staine was read his charges before Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford this morning. According to Vernon, he was driving his black S.U.V. on Lacroix Boulevard on March eleventh. As he turned into Balan Street, someone fired on the vehicle, but Vernon was unhurt. Vernon had his own firearm on him and he returned fire in the assailant’s direction. The gunman escaped but sustained apparent wounds to his feet. Police later picked up Staine elsewhere in the City, suffering cut wounds to the inner part of the left foot, an injury to the left ankle and a cut wound to the left small toe. Staine told the court that he was shot but was not armed. He wanted to say more, but the Senior Magistrate told him to leave the explanation for his defense in his trial. Since the offense is allege to have occurred with the use of a firearm, bail was denied to Staine and he was remanded into custody at the Belize Central Prison. However tonight he is in hospital being treated for his injuries.