Four killed
FOUR passengers were killed and 11 others injured when a bus, travelling from St Elizabeth to Kingston, was involved in a three-vehicle collision on the Toll Gate Main Road in Clarendon, the police said.
The injured, including the bus driver, Cebert Mills, 44, of 23 Grove Road, Kingston 5, were treated at hospital and released.
Orville Williams, 21, of Salt Pond, Spanish Town, St Catherine, the driver of a truck that was involved in the accident, was arrested by the police but up to last night had not been formally charged.
The Clarendon police who are investigating the accident said that they have sent the vehicles for testing to the Island Traffic Authority in Kingston.
The police identified those killed in the collision as:
* Tamika Simpson, 20, of Junction, St Elizabeth;
* Federick Vassel, 21, of Santa Cruz, St Elizabeth;
* Jermaine Hansel of Burnt Ground, St Elizabeth; and
* a 17 year-old boy identified only as Corey.
The deaths brought to 275 the number of persons killed in traffic accidents so far this year.
Mills apart, the injured passengers were:
* Curzon Glover, 42, of Providence, St Elizabeth:
* Robert Williams, 19, of Content, Manchester;
* Garnet Welsh, 24, of New Hall, Manchester;
* Egbert Newman, 44, of Christiana, Manchester;
* Tamika Wright, 19, of Mike Town, Manchester;
* Yanique Thompson, 14, of Christiana, Manchester;
* Alletta Duncan, 21, of Brumealia Road, Mandeville, Manchester;
* Hillary McLean, 38, of Waterford, St Catherine;
* Clifton Henry, 47, of Lyndhurst Crescent, Kingston 5.
Police said that the accident occurred shortly before midday.
At the time the white Toyota Hiace mini bus, registered 0653 PP, was heading towards Kingston from St Cruz, St Elizabeth.
A car was tavelling in the opposite direction, on the Toll Gate Main Road and behind that car was a blue Isuzu truck, registered CB629, driven by Charles Murray, 35, of Watermount, St Catherine.
The driver of the car, the police suggested, indicated his intention to make to make a right turn into a car wash so Murray stopped his truck.
However, a red Leyland truck, driven by Williams, crashed into the back of the Isuzu, pushing it across the road and into the oncoming bus, the police said.