Crashes, police conduct and market killing lead Jamaican news roundup

Ten people were taken for medical care after two separate road crashes in St. Mary on Friday, as police in several parishes also dealt with a fatal motorcycle collision, fraud allegations, assault charges and public concern over police conduct.

In St. Mary, police said the first crash happened about noon on the Renova main road and involved a motor car and a truck. A woman and two children were injured. About 8 p.m., another vehicle travelling from Dober reportedly went out of control near Markin Stone Beach in Annotto Bay and struck an empty shop. Seven people, including the driver and students, were injured. Investigators are examining both crashes.

In St. Ann, 19-year-old Leroy Daly, a labourer of Stephanie district, died after two motorcycles collided on the Steer Town main road on Saturday morning. Police said both riders were hurt and the motorcycles were badly damaged. Daly was pronounced dead at hospital, while the other rider was warned for prosecution. The Alexandria police are investigating.

A St. James carpenter, 30-year-old Jordan Ricketts, has been charged with fraudulent conversion after allegedly using US$10,000 entrusted to him by relatives. The money was reportedly left between July and August 2024 for the complainant and his wife to use during an April 2026 visit to Jamaica. Police allege Ricketts spent the funds on personal matters and a one-bedroom house in St. James. His court date has not been finalised.

Joseph Winter, 54, has also been charged after an alleged housebreaking in which another man lost several teeth. Police say Winter forced his way through a living-room window, argued over zinc sheets, struck the complainant with a stick and allegedly pointed a weapon at his face before a neighbour intervened.

Police Commissioner Dr Kevin Blake, following public anger over the fatal police shooting of Fatoya Bulgin in Granville, St. James, urged officers to use professionalism, restraint and sound judgment. INDECOM is investigating the shooting.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness said public support remains essential to crime reduction, while Kingston Mayor Andrew Swaby appealed for calm after Papine market supervisor Colleen Bernard was shot dead on Friday.