Eyewitness recalls screaming, cries for help after deadly market truck crash
WESTMORELAND, Jamaica – A ‘Good Samaritan’ who witnessed Friday morning’s accident in Darliston, Westmoreland that left one market vendor dead and six others nursing injuries in hospital says he’s still in a state of shock over the tragedy.
Steeve Perrin was driving his motorcycle when he witnessed the deadly crash.
“I was travelling behind the truck on a motorcycle and when I looked mi see when the truck leave off the sleeping police and started to speed,” Perrin recalled in an interview with Observer Online.
He said the pillion on his motorcycle pointed out that the truck appeared to be malfunctioning.
“The guy that was on the bike with me said, ‘Steve it look like something wrong why the truck a speed suh’, and mi seh yuh nuh see seh the truck a get outta control,” the distraught man said.
Perrin said he’s traumatised and “can still hear” the truck driver screaming out for help.
“Mi come down here and see the driver stuck, bawling out ‘Steeve help me please!’ I was so shock, I just start pulling out the steering wheel, and nobody was there to help,” Perrin said.
The deceased, a male, has been identified by residents by his alias, “Mass Tim”.
Darliston Division Councillor Jerome Bacchas, of the People’s National Party, said the community is in mourning.
“It is not easy on the community, family members nor myself. I want to offer my sincerest condolences to the family member at this time. Our community is shaken as we’ve lost over five males from our community from fatal crashes” Bacchas told Observer Online
He further noted that the crash was not as a result of speeding but, a mechanical issue.
“I am sure that it was not a speeding problem based on the terrain, but I am sure it is a mechanical problem,” he lamented.
However, he also took the opportunity to appeal to road users in his community and the wider Jamaica to be cautious.