Crash footage obtained as police probe deadly Ocho Rios crash

Police investigators have obtained video footage of the three-vehicle collision that claimed the lives of four teenagers in Ocho Rios, St Ann, on the weekend as they work to establish responsibility for the deadly crash.

Senior Superintendent Carlos Russell, head of the St Ann Police Division, said investigators were reviewing the footage while continuing to question the two drivers of the Mercedes-Benz motor cars involved in Saturday’s collision.

The men, who are friends, surrendered to the Ocho Rios Police Station on Monday, accompanied by their attorneys. However, Russell said the police were not yet in a position to determine whether charges would be laid.

“We have to wait until the investigation finishes because the footage would have to be reviewed and then we look at who was at fault and all of that, then we will decide how we are going about charging persons,” Russell said.

The police had previously reported that occupants of both Mercedes-Benz vehicles removed their registration plates and fled the scene following the crash.

The collision occurred about 2:30 a.m. on Saturday along Bull Point main road, near Fisherman’s Beach and the entrance to Columbus Heights.

The four teenagers killed were travelling in a Toyota motor car, which was extensively damaged in the crash. They have been identified as 17-year-old Shantana Leonard, 16-year-old Kenneil Lyle, 16-year-old Marcodine Maxwell, and Rajani Abdul.

Leonard was reportedly driving the Toyota, while the other three teenagers were passengers.

Russell said investigators would also face challenges determining whether the Mercedes-Benz drivers were under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash because of the time that has elapsed.

Meanwhile, the senior police officer condemned what he described as a pattern of reckless driving, particularly on wider sections of roadway where motorists often accelerate excessively.

“Jamaican drivers, most of them, just drive carelessly on the road. Once they see some road, they start speeding,” Russell said.

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