Glenroy Sinclair and
Rasbert Turner, Staff Reporters
This Highway Patrol unit was involved in a three-vehicle collision along the Portmore leg of Highway 2000, St. Catherine, yesterday. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer
A 42-YEAR-OLD police corporal was killed in a three-vehicle collision along Highway 2000 in St. Catherine, yesterday. Three other persons, including two policemen, were injured in the crash which took place between the Portmore and Spanish Town exit at 9:45 a.m.
The dead policeman has been identified as Leslie Smith, a traffic cop who was assigned to the Frankfield Police Station in Clarendon. Among his injured colleagues are a sergeant and a constable.
ON WAY TO CLASSES
"Corporal Smith was on his way to classes in Kingston when he stopped to speak with his colleagues (who were on traffic duty along the highway)," head of the Police Traffic Division, Senior Superintendent Elan Powell, told The Sunday Gleaner.
According to the senior officer, Corporal Smith stopped and parked behind a police service vehicle on the soft shoulder of the road, then proceeded to speak with his colleagues.
The driver of a Rover motor car lost control and hit Mr. Smith and the sergeant.
The car, which was travelling towards Kingston, then hit Corporal's Smith's car, which in turn, slammed into the parked service vehicle. The police said the Rover motor car later crashed some 50 metres down the road.
FLUNG 25 METRES
"Corporal Smith was flung about 25 metres away," SSP Powell said.
Smith's three colleagues, along with the driver of the Rover motor car, were rushed to the Spanish Town Hospital where they were admitted in serious, but stable condition.
"This is a clear case of excessive speeding," said SSP Powell, who said that the driver of the Rover vehicle will be charged accordingly.
The Sunday Gleaner understands that the Rover motor car was being driven by a 22-year-old medical student, who was travelling in the company of other relatives.
