A Pembroke teenager has denied charges of leading police through a high-speed chase and struggling with police.

Stanwon Swan, 17, yesterday pleaded not guilty to charges of driving dangerously, violently resisting arrest, failing to stop when signalled by police and driving while disqualified by reason of age, all linked to an incident on New Year’s Day.

Mr Swan, who appeared in Magistrates’ Court with a bandage on his forehead, was released on $2,000 bail with a like surety. The matter is set to return to court on January 4 for mention.

Also appearing before the court was 18-year-old Dwayshun Smith, who pleaded guilty to a series of traffic offences which occurred on December 8.

The court heard that at around 11.30am that day, officers were near the Bank of Bermuda parking lot on Front Street when they saw the Warwick teen driving west with what appeared to be electronic cables coming out of his helmet.

While the officers signalled for him to stop, he instead accelerated. As the police followed Smith, he swerved between vehicles, drove through red lights and narrowly avoided striking the Bird Cage while overtaking a bus. He later mounted the sidewalk, causing a woman with a stroller to take evasive action.

The chase continued until Smith attempted to make a U-turn near Smatt’s Cycles and dropped his bike. He then attempted to flee on foot, but was caught and arrested. Appearing in court, Smith pleaded guilty to charges of driving in a dangerous manner, failing to stop for police, using an electronic entertainment device while driving and driving an unlicenced and uninsured vehicle. Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo fined Smith a total of $2,650 for the offences and disqualified him from driving all vehicles for 18 months.

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