St. Elizabeth crash kills chef as other Jamaican police and civic stories unfold

A St. Elizabeth man died and several others were injured Tuesday night in a two-vehicle crash in the parish. Police identified the deceased as 45-year-old Ron Wright, a chef from Fraser’s district in New Market.

The collision happened about 9:15 p.m. after a grey Toyota Coaster bus carrying passengers was travelling from Montego Bay toward Santa Cruz and a white Nissan AD Wagon, driven by Wright, reportedly entered the main road from a minor road. Both vehicles were badly damaged. Firefighters freed the trapped drivers, and six people, including both motorists, were taken to Black River Hospital, where Wright later died.

In St. Andrew, at least four people were hospitalised Wednesday after an explosion at a garage facility on South Camp Road. The Jamaica Fire Brigade said it responded shortly before 9 a.m. after welding work was reportedly being done on an armoured truck. Police said four vehicles were damaged, three extensively. Investigators said foul play was not suspected, and the probe is continuing.

Trelawny police have also charged five men over an alleged organised theft network accused of targeting businesses in the parish and stealing more than $20 million in goods and cash. The accused are Cardell Williams, 47, of Mammee Bay, St. Ann; Deal Clover Lewis, 39, a shopkeeper of Windsor Road, St. Ann’s Bay; Friendling Cross, 46, of Norwood, St. James; Omar Anthony Coleman, 33, of Coral Gardens, Montego Bay; and Randy Murray, 40, of Frome, Westmoreland. Police said they were intercepted on April 11 with goods and Jamaican, United States, Canadian and British currencies.

Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton said Jamaica expects movement within one to two months under a memorandum of understanding with Ghana to recruit healthcare workers for shortage areas. He said Ghana has surplus health personnel, while Jamaica has posts it cannot fill locally.

The parliamentary opposition criticised National Security Minister Dr. Horace Chang’s position that body-camera use is a police operational matter, saying mandatory cameras should apply in planned JCF operations and other sensitive policing activities.

The Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation said it is working with police to clear tarpaulins, debris and waste in downtown Kingston where obstructions affect security-camera visibility and market sanitation.