Suburban man killed during cruise ship excursion, friend charged

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Charges have been filed against an Illinois man following a deadly ATV crash in The Bahamas over the weekend, according to reports.

The Bahamian news outlet Tribune242 said 21-year-old James Darling, a Park Forest resident, has been charged with vehicular manslaughter and possession of dangerous drugs.

The charges stem from a deadly incident that allegedly unfolded on Sunday at Arawak Cay, a 100-acre man-made island in Nassau.

Reports indicate that just before 11:30 a.m., along Arawak Cay Road, Darling allegedly caused the death of his passenger, James Palmer, after the UTV that he was operating rolled onto its side, landing on Palmer’s neck.

Following the incident, Darling was also allegedly found to be in possession of nine grams of marijuana, which was reportedly found by officers while he was at the police station following the crash.

A GoFundMe fundraiser started by Darling’s family members indicates that Darling and Palmer had made the stop in Nassau as an excursion while on a Carnival cruise with two other friends, adding that the incident occurred less than 24 hours into a “much-anticipated boys’ getaway.”

“What was supposed to be a joyful weekend turned into a nightmare,” family members said in the GoFundMe.

While reports from Bahamian news outlets indicate that the vehicle involved was an ATV, family members stated in the GoFundMe that the incident involved a UTV.

Authorities have not provided details on Palmer’s age or hometown.

According to the Tribune242, Darling pleaded guilty to the drug charge, but the manslaughter charge will head to the Supreme Court by way of a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).

In the Bahamas, a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI) allows the attorney-general to file a bill against a defendant charged with an indictable offense in the Supreme Court and removes the jurisdiction of a magistrate to investigate the charge.

The outlet Our News reported that Darling’s bail was set at $40,000 and a magistrate ordered that he be placed on electronic monitoring.

Darling, who was also placed on probation for the drug charge, was ordered to bring a police record back to court when he returns on March 20, when his VBI will be served.

According to reports, if Darling breaches his probation, he could face a $500 fine or a three-month prison term.

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