Holiday mishap - Five casualties in fatal Boxing Day crash

Gareth Davis Sr, Gleaner Writer

Port Antonio, Portland:

One man was killed while four others were left battling for life at hospital following a Boxing Day motor vehicle accident at Bryan's Bay in Portland, shortly before 3 p.m.

Up to press time, neither the names of the deceased nor the injured had been released by the police.

Sergeant Dwayne Campbell of the Port Antonio traffic department told The Gleaner that a male occupant of the vehicle succumbed to his injuries at hospital, while the four others, all males, had been hospitalised in critical condition.

"The five persons were travelling in a grey Toyota Tacoma pickup," Campbell said. "The vehicle was heading in a westerly direction from Port Antonio roundabout approximately 2:45 p.m. when the driver reportedly lost control and slammed into a utility pole before landing in a ditch, which is in proximity to the First and Last Bar at Bryan's Bay."

According to several eyewitnesses, the Toyota pickup was on travelling at a high speed when it slammed into a bus-stop sign and swerved to the left, cutting a concrete utility pole in two. The impact resulted in a massive fire and a prolonged power outage in the area.

"I was at the nearby Total service station at Bryan's Bay," said Jason Morton, who claimed to have seen the accident. "At that time, I was driving out and saw when the vehicle slammed into a stop sign, resulting in one man being thrown from off the rear of the vehicle. It then slammed into a utility pole, cutting it in half, and landed in the bush."

Trapped inside

Firefighters who were quick on the scene had to cut the vehicle open to free one person trapped inside.

"We proceeded with our rescue operation and used the 'jaws-of-life' to cut loose one individual from the wreckage," Raymond Goodlet, district officer of the Port Antonio fire department, told The Gleaner.

The left side of the left-hand drive vehicle was bashed in, as a result of it slamming into the utility pole, and blood was splattered on the driver's side and on the floor.

The accident moves the death toll on the island's roads this year to at least 306, bringing even more sorrow after the National Road Safety Council's target of fewer than 300 was missed last week.

Yesterday, Campbell appealed to motorists to drive with care, and not exceed the designated speed limits in the various zones. He is also appealing drivers to be especially careful during the festive season.