St James crash death, Hanover murder charge and taxi fare increase lead Jamaica news roundup

A 22-year-old woman, Bianca Wallace, died Monday afternoon in a multi-vehicle collision on the Roseall main road in St. James, where she had been working as a flag woman on a pipeline project. Police said the crash involved a Toyota Harrier public passenger vehicle, a Toyota Rush and a tractor. Firefighters and police assisted several injured people, including students, who had to be freed from the wreckage. The Island Traffic Authority says 111 people had died in 100 fatal crashes up to June 1.

In Hanover, police charged 36-year-old Aldine Germaine Blake, originally from Clarendon, with murder and breaches of the Immigration Act after the fatal stabbing of his spouse, 33-year-old Kadian Branchaw of Tampa, Florida, and Bulls Bay, Hanover. Investigators said Blake, a United States passport holder, had been in Jamaica since October 5 last year and was due to leave on April 3. Police said the couple had been staying in Bulls Bay for about a year. Their child was found unharmed after residents alerted police when Blake was reportedly seen walking toward Lucea about 2 a.m.

National murder figures stood at 221 up to May 31, down 23 per cent from 288 over the same period in 2025, according to Jamaica Constabulary Force statistics. The JCF also reported declines in break-ins, robberies, rape, shootings and overall major crimes.

St. Elizabeth police said Romel Johnson, one of two men found dead near a Longwood car mart close to Santa Cruz, was linked to a multi-parish stolen-vehicle operation. The other man was identified as 64-year-old businessman and car dealer Melvin Blight. In a separate St. Elizabeth matter, businessman and farmer Willock French, 50, of Southern Corner, Santa Cruz, was charged after police allegedly recovered poker box parts and other suspected stolen items at his home.

Information Minister Dr. Dana Morris Dixon said the visiting USS Nimitz aircraft carrier was presented to Jamaica as a goodwill stop involving tourism, education and youth outreach.

Commuters are now paying higher public passenger vehicle fares after Cabinet approved a 16 per cent increase, with 8 per cent taking effect June 2 and the other 8 per cent due July 1.