September opens with road accident claiming the life of a Willikies youth– the fifth road fatality this year

Another vehicular accident has claimed the life of a young man,
bringing road fatalities for 2023 to just under a half-dozen.
This accident, which claimed the life of Tyrese Benjamin of Willikies,
occurred on the Sir Sydney Walling Highway, in the vicinity of the
North Sound International Racetrack, before 6 a.m. today,
September 1.

The accident saw a Toyota Rav 4 and a water truck owned by Water
Management Solutions involved in a head-on collision, with the
front of both vehicles sustaining extensive damage.

The impact reportedly sent the truck careening off the side of the
road, while the jeep, apparently driven by Benjamin, landed on its
roof not far away.

The Emergency Medical Service (EMS) and a fire tender were
deployed to the scene.

While reports say the truck driver escaped with minor injuries,
Benjamin’s body lay lifeless in his vehicle. Further reports say that
firefighters had to use the Jaws of Life to free him from the wreck.
Sources claim that young Benjamin is usually resident in the United
States, but came to Antigua for the Carnival festivities and had not
returned home.

The previous fatal accident occurred on Sunday, August 13, at the
junction of Factory and American Roads and claimed the life of Bram
Sanderson, 30, a national athlete of Dominica.

It left his motorcycle passenger, Derick “Gyaz” Jno-Baptiste, 29 – a
native of Portsmouth, Dominica – nursing serious injuries at the Sir
Lester Bird Medical Centre.