2017 YIR: Road Fatalities

Six people have died on Cayman’s roads, the same number as 2016. Today (20 December) we took a look back at road fatalities for the 2017.

“Something like that happening, it was almost due because what I have been seeing on the roads,” said East End Resident Megan Ritch.
On 2 May three UK tourists, Geoffrey and Pamela Mansell and Marlene Wright and a 22-year old Jamaican national Shannay Delaphena were killed in a motor vehicle accident along Austin Conolly Drive. It was biggest multiple fatalities in recent history here. Police say a black Honda Accord was traveling at excessive speed and collided with a Kia Rio that was traveling in opposite directions when the head-on collision occurred for East End residents they said this accident is a long time coming.

“It’s a very difficult situation, I’ve had many near misses, I’ve seen cars speed ahead of me that have had a lot of near misses, or there will be vehicles that are pulling off on the side of the road as other vehicles are overtaking them,” said Mrs. Ritch.

On 17 July a 62-year-old Doctor Vary Anetta Jones-Leslie, a visiting clinician from Jamaica, was struck by a taxi in the vicinity of the Owen Roberts International Airport’s long-term parking entrance. She succumbed to her injuries a day later.

Dr. Elizabeth McLaughlin said Dr. Jones-Leslie’s life and “work as a clinician will be remembered by all of us, her warm spirit and caring attitude and commitment to making a difference in the lives of others was exemplary.”

And 8 October 30-year-old East End resident Tonie Rodrigues collided with a truck while riding his motorcycle on his way to work at Health City. The collision took place near the blow holes in East End.

Following those crashes the public called for increased driver education and safe practices on the roads.