ST CATHERINE, Jamaica — Four people, including a retired policeman, have been killed in separate crashes since Monday, pushing road fatalities to 106 so far this year, according to statistics from the Road Safety Unit (RSU).

The retired cop died on Tuesday after he was struck by a motorcar along Mandela Highway in St Catherine. He has been identified as 75-year-old Lloyd Boothe of Union Estate in Twickenham Park, St Catherine.

Boothe was reportedly walking along the highway about 9:30 am when he was reportedly hit by a Toyota Axio motorcar. He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The police did not disclose the whereabouts of the driver but said investigations continue.

Boothe’s death was one of two fatal crashes recorded by the RSU on Tuesday, however, the constabulary’s Corporate Communications Unit (CCU) was unable to provide details on a second incident.

The other two fatalities occurred on Monday but CCU could only give details on the death of a 50-year-old woman, who was struck by a Toyota Coaster bus along the Bridge Pen district in Black River, St Elizabeth.

According to reports, the victim, Alphea Brown, was standing at her gate along the roadway about 8:05 am, when the bus driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle and crashed into her. She was pronounced dead at hospital.

Based on RSU statistics, the other two road fatalities were a pedal cyclist and a passenger of a commercial motor vehicle.

The unit noted that fatal crashes and fatalities have increased by 32 per cent and 25 per cent, respectively, when compared with the same period in 2018.