Liguanea crash claims two lives

Anastasia Cunningham, Senior Gleaner Writer

The first work day of the new year heralded tragedy, as a motorist ploughed into seven persons at a bus stop on Old Hope Road, St Andrew.

Up to press time, two women lay dead on the cold pavement, and the other five hospitalised in serious condition at the University Hospital of the West Indies.

The female driver was later taken to the hospital.

Just after 5 p.m., at the height of peak hour traffic, a female employee of the Jamaica National Building Society, reportedly fell asleep at the wheel of her Toyota Avalon heading up Old Hope Road. She lost control of the vehicle, which ran across the road and slammed into seven persons at the bus stop just across from the Matilda's Corner Police Station.

Eyewitnesses said some of the persons were blind, so they could not see the car coming.

"Mi just hear 'Blam!' Mi rush outside and see five persons on the ground. Di lady come out her car and look space out," said Oliver Austin, who claimed to be an eyewitness. Austin said he was at the police station at the time of the incident. "After she spin two time, she go pon har phone and walk right over into the police station."

Five persons were rushed to hospital in very serious condition. Austin said one woman's legs were badly damaged and a man had serious head injuries.

Long wait

He said it took nearly an hour for the fire brigade to arrive to remove the other two persons from under the vehicle.

Up to 8 p.m., when The Gleaner was leaving the scene, Madden's Funeral Home had still not arrived to collect the bodies.

Another eyewitness claimed the driver said she fell asleep and, the next thing she knew, she woke up at the bus stop. Inspector David Jarrett, of the Matilda's Corner Police Station, confirmed that the woman reported to them that she was exhausted.

Minister of National Security Dwight Nelson was quick on the scene and was briefed.

Inspector Steve Brown, of the Constabulary Communication Network, in confirming that two persons had died, said, "This is a very sad day."

anastasia.cunningham@gleanerjm.com