Tourist apologises for having cannabis

An American man was fined $1,500 yesterday in Magistrates' Court for bringing cannabis to the Island which he said was medicinal for his sick wife.

Patrick Christopher Fisher, 39, from New York, arrived on the Island on Friday with 10.32 grams of cannabis, which has a street value of $500.

The court heard that Fisher, who was a passenger on Continental Flight 1657 from Newark along with his wife, was selected at 3.50 p.m. for a secondary search at LF Wade International Airport.

While there, Police drug-sniffing dogs showed an interest in Fisher, who then confessed to having the drugs on him.

He said: "I do — it's for my wife. She is sick and it calms her down."

In Magistrates' Court yesterday Fisher said: "I apologise to the country of Bermuda. I didn't realise that I would get in trouble for bringing medicinal marijuana to the Island."

Another tourist — Wallace Beaver, 27, from California — also pleaded guilty to importing cannabis.

He arrived on August 13, with 3.49 grams of cannabis in his carry-on luggage.

Beaver came in on a commercial flight at approximately 11.10 a.m. and was picked up by Police canines who showed an interest in his bags.

He was taken to a secondary search area where Narcotics Officers found a white plastic bottle containing a plantlike material.

Beaver pleaded guilty to the offence in Magistrates' Court and apologised by saying: "I meant no disrespect to you and the people of Bermuda. It was a mistake."

Both men were fined $1,500 for the offence.

Motorcyclists collide

A man and woman were injured when their bikes collided on North Shore Road in Hamilton Parish around 3.40 a.m. on Sunday.

According to the Police, an auxiliary cycle was travelling west and a motorcycle was traveling east motorcycle rider, a 35-year-old St. George's man, lost control and the vehicles collided.

The man sustained a cut to his right leg and a cut to his face. The rider of the auxiliary cycle, a 17-year-old Pembroke woman, sustained facial injuries. Both riders were taken to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital for treatment but have since been discharged.

The male rider was later arrested on suspicion of impaired driving.

Tourist breaks jaw in crash

A tourist suffered a broken jaw after crashing her rental cycle on Sunday morning.

According to the Police, the 34-year-old from New Jersey lost control while attempting to negotiate a right hand bend on Middle Road, Southampton at 11.15 a.m.

The cycle collided with an embankment.

The woman was taken to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital but has since been discharged.