St. Thomas Resident Faces Court Following New Year’s Day Hit-and-Run

In a recent court appearance, a St. Thomas resident was charged with operating a vehicle without a valid driver’s license in connection to a hit-and-run incident on Veterans Drive on January 1, which resulted in a pedestrian being critically injured and left in a coma.

Durray Primus, the accused, voluntarily came forward to the Richard Callwood Command Traffic Investigation Bureau to provide his account of the events following the incident on New Year’s Day. Authorities were able to confirm Primus as the driver of a red Nissan Juke, which was captured on surveillance footage hitting a pedestrian in the troubling episode.

Investigations further uncovered that Primus was driving without a valid license at the time of the accident. His previous license had expired in 2022, and due to a restriction imposed by the Department of Justice, he was unable to obtain a renewal.

The surveillance video reviewed by the police showed the victim, dressed in dark attire and obscured by a dark jacket, attempting to cross the highway without ensuring it was safe from oncoming traffic. The pedestrian ventured into the path of Primus’s vehicle in the right eastbound lane, where traffic signals were green. Despite the pedestrian’s attempt to hurry across, the collision was inevitable, leading to severe injuries.

After the incident, the footage showed Primus momentarily opening the driver’s door and observing the injured pedestrian before leaving the scene without offering assistance.

Although the initial review of the incident suggested that Primus’s actions leading up to the collision were not deemed negligent, he faces charges for driving without a valid license and for fleeing the scene of an accident. Following these charges, Primus was detained to await further legal proceedings.

During his recent court appearance, Magistrate Simone VanHolten-Turnbull decided that Primus could be released on a $7500 unsecured bond. Conditions of his release include bi-weekly in-person check-ins at the probation office and adherence to standard bail conditions set by the court.

Primus is scheduled for a subsequent court appearance on February 23, where the case will continue to unfold.