Killer crash in Westmoreland, JAMAICA: 3 die, 10 injured in Westmoreland collision.... The deceased were last night identified as Neville Campbell of Galloway and Paulette Watt of Georges Plain, both in Westmoreland; and Pixley Ennis, who was said to be a resident of Clarendon.

BY HORACE HINES Observer staff reporter hinesh@jamaicaobserver.com  Tuesday, December 30, 2014    

FARM, Westmoreland — Three people were killed yesterday when the minibus in which they were passengers crashed into the back of a parked truck in this Westmoreland district.

A man said to be related to Paulette Watt, one of the
three people who were killed in the accident,
wails outside the Savanna-la-Mar General Hospital
yesterday. (PHOTO: PHILLIP LEMONTE)

The deceased were last night identified as Neville Campbell of Galloway and Paulette Watt of Georges Plain, both in Westmoreland; and Pixley Ennis, who was said to be a resident of Clarendon.

Ten passengers who were injured in the crash were taken to the Savanna-la-Mar General Hospital, where some were admitted in serious condition while others were treated and released. It was not ascertained last evening how many people were still admitted and the extent of their injuries.

The ill-fated Toyota Hiace minibus, which started its journey in the Westmoreland capital of Savanna-la-Mar, was en route to Kingston.

The police said that about 7:15 am the driver of the minibus was attempting to overtake a slow-moving truck along a stretch of the recently resurfaced main road, but slammed into the back of an International truck after the driver was forced to cut back in the left lane to avoid colliding with an oncoming motor vehicle.

At least two passengers of the ill-fated minibus, who spoke to the Jamaica Observer at the hospital yesterday, questioned why the minibus driver failed to overtake the truck earlier when it was possible for him to do so on the wide road.

Police officers look inside the wrecked Toyota Hiace
 minibus which slammed into the back of this truck along
 the Farm main road in Westmoreland, yesterday, causing
the death of three people and injury to 10 others.
 (PHOTO: PHILLIP LEMONTE)

"...Mi just see the bus a drive straight, and then we realise the truck was parked. The bus driver swung to the right, but still collided into the truck; he was too close to the truck," one male passenger, who was at the hospital, told the Observer.

Another injured young man, who was a passenger of the public passenger vehicle, gave a similar account of how the accident happened.

"... When wi reach out ah Farm mi don't know what happen to the driver, because nothing nah come weh him can't go round; nothing nah try shot pass him and him drive go straight into the truck back," alleged a young man who escaped with minor injuries, but whose mother was seriously injured in the crash. more