Neville Paul, Gleaner Writer

SANTA CRUZ, St. Elizabeth:

Three students of the Santa Cruz Primary and Junior High School have been hospitalised for injuries they reportedly received after being hit by their vice principal as she drove her motor car on to the compound yesterday morning.

An eyewitness reported that about 6:30 a.m. the vice-principal, Patricia Matthews-Green, was entering the institution when her Toyota Corolla car hit the gate.

The car then crashed into a metal drum before hitting the three students.

"It could happen to anyone," commented principal Iva Green-Dwyer. "I've spoken to one of the parents and he is very calm and understanding. As a matter of fact, he actually drove the vice-principal from the hospital."

The students were rushed to the Black River Hospital where two were admitted. The third was subsequently transferred to the May Pen Hospital. All three students are said to be in stable condition.

Tightlipped about incident

The Gleaner learnt that classes at the institution were interrupted following the incident.

Added Mrs. Green-Dwyer: "The vice-principal was shaken up but she was given medication to calm her."

Inspector Paul Bernard of the Santa Cruz Police Station said the school has been tightlipped about the incident, but they would be stepping up their investigations into the matter.

But principal Green-Dwyer has rebuffed these allegations.

"The police have been in solidarity with us, and I even went to the (police) station," she noted.

This was the second incident to have affected the school inless than 48 hours.

On Saturday, a senior teacher of the institution and People's National Party (PNP) constituency secretary for North East St. Elizabeth, Clenna Sloley, was attacked and stabbed several times at her home at Providence Garden in Santa Cruz.

See related story in news section (story on Sloley)