FREEPORT, Grand Bahama – A gruesome two-car collision on the streets of Freeport this week snatched the life of two 23-year-old men, left a 19-year-old man clinging to life in hospital and thrust the island’s traffic fatality count to 16 for the year – the highest count in five years.
Dead are Merrill Dorsette Jr. of Waterfall Drive, and Jeffrey Pinder of #36 Tudor Gardens.
Police said a third man, 19-year-old Max Smith was airlifted to New Providence with severe injuries.
Wednesday night’s deaths were the third and fourth traffic deaths for September and the seventh and eighth to occur on East Sunrise Highway, one of the island’s main thoroughfares.
Pinder and Smith were passengers in a Toyota Scion driven by Dorsette that crashed head-on into a sports utility vehicle as Dorsette was attempting to overtake another vehicle on East Sunrise Highway and Fircrost Road, authorities said.
When the Bahama Journal arrived on the scene shortly after 7pm crowds of onlookers gathered as fire rescue services personnel undertook what became at least a two-hour task of extricating Dorsette’s lifeless body from the demolished vehicle he was driving.
According to police, Shonette Rolle, 28, was driving east along the highway with her two young passengers, Rya Rolle, 4, and Rikia Rolle, 13, when her vehicle collided with the Toyota.
The victims were taken to the Rand Memorial Hospital where authorities said Mrs. Rolle and the two young girls were treated and later released.
Police said Dorsette died at the scene, while Pinder died several hours later in hospital.
Young persons at the scene clutched each other and watched in horror as the victims were carried away from the scene either by ambulance or by hearse, which arrived to transport Dorsette’s body from the accident site.
Police this year have reported at least 11 serious traffic accidents that they say occurred on East Sunrise Highway. Seven that turned fatal and all either involved two car collisions or single car collisions into trees or utility poles.
The spree of fatal accidents this month began on the same day the island’s Road Traffic Department launched its road safety campaign to coincide with the start of the 2005-2006 academic school year.
Members of Parliament on Grand Bahama were expected to hold a bi-partisan press conference today to appeal to residents to drive with caution and care on the island’s streets.
By: Sharon Williams, The Bahama Journal
