Epileptic NYC Truck Driver Convicted of Murdering Tourists

by Annina Bergman | September 22, 2009 at 01:22 pm

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Auvryn Scarlett was driving a recycling truck on a busy street in New York when he suffered from an epileptic seizure. He steered on to a sidewalk, killing two British tourists, Jacklyn Timmins, 47 and Andrew Hardie, 48 who were celebrating Valentine's Day in the Big Apple. A third pedestrian, Abayomi Henderson, was seriously injured but survived. Scarlett was found guilty on two counts of second-degree murder on Tuesday.

Scarlett, 53, was aware of having epilepsy, but had not been taking his medicine to prevent seizures. He had not told his employers about the condition, and had denied having epilepsy when he got his drivers' licence.

Driving six days a week for the refuse haulage company, he knew he could have a fit at any time "on some of the busiest streets on earth."

He said: "It is like playing a game of Russian roulette, only instead of pointing the gun at yourself, you point it at other people. And if someone dies - that is murder.