Four killed in crash along PJ Patterson Highway

Four people, including an eight-year-old boy, were killed in a two-vehicle crash along the PJ Patterson Highway early Sunday.

The deceased have been identified as 22-year-old Tyesha Manhertz, unemployed; 29-year-old Wendy Lammie, unemployed; 27-year-old factory worker, Andre McLeish; and eight-year-old Trey Stewart, all of Kingston 7 addresses.

A police report listed excessive speeding, diverted attention and a “collision with vehicle in a previous accident” as possible causes of the crash.

A 2022 Mercedes Benz and a 2002 Toyota Probox were the vehicles involved in the crash which occurred just after midnight, according to the police report.

McLeish was reportedly driving the Toyota Probox in an easterly direction, with the two women and the child as passengers, when he lost control of the vehicle and hit a median and the motor car overturned.

While the four occupants of the vehicle were in the process of disembarking the overturned car, it was hit by the Mercedez Benz motor car, severely injuring all four.

They were later pronounced dead at the Spanish Town Hospital.

The police have warned the driver of the Mercedes Benz for prosecution.

Dr Lucien Jones, vice chairman of the National Road Safety Council, called the news “absolutely shocking”.

“The police report suggests that somebody was speeding and that there was distracted driving," he said.

“All hands must be on deck to stop this madness of excessive speeding and distracted driving and distracted walking on our roads,” said Jones.

- Livern Barrett and Rasbert Turner

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