Family mourns death of man killed by JUTC bus

The family of 73-year-old Donald Gayle, the man who was reportedly hit and killed by a Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) bus on Tuesday morning, is asking that their relative’s case be treated with more respect.

The deceased is an electrician of a 13 Freeman Lane, Kingston 13, address.

When THE STAR met with the distraught family at their Maxfield Avenue home yesterday, they explained that Gayle was a street sweeper for two years and is accustomed to waking up early to attend to that duty before going to his day job as an electrician.

“He is a hard-working man. He goes out by 4:30 a.m. to sweep and by 7 or so, he goes to his job. We are still running around to gather as much information and advice as we can. People will tell us things, but they are not willing to go to the police or go court,” his son, Marvin Gayle, told THE STAR.

Donald Gayle’s wife, Jennifer Thomas-Gayle, is also a street sweeper. She said that when she is out with her husband, he is always looking out for reckless drivers.

“Me feel bad. Mi upset fi know dem tek the life of my husband like that. Him gone leave me,” she said. “I didn’t go out with him [on Tuesday]. He is the one who always tell me to look out for the mad drivers and always stay on the sidewalk.”

JUTC, in a statement to the media, reported that around 5:50 a.m., the bus was travelling towards downtown Kingston along Waltham Park Road.

According to the JUTC, on reaching the vicinity near the Chinese Cemetery, a car that was travelling in the opposite direction with bright lights impaired the vision of the bus driver.

Undergo counselling

The driver reportedly veered to the left when he felt an impact. The JUTC said passengers on board the bus also confirmed to the driver that he had hit someone.

The injured man was taken to hospital where he died from his injuries.

The JUTC said the incident has been reported to the police, who are conducting their investigations, as well as the company’s Accident Investigations Department.

The company said that the driver has been taken off front-line duty and will undergo counselling. They have also expressed condolences to the victim’s family.

But the relatives of the deceased say that eyewitnesses have given them different accounts of the incident. However, based on evidence at the scene, they said that Donald was hit from the sidewalk and then dragged, before he was released from under the yellow bus.

“The evidence is there. He was hit from the sidewalk. We hear that driver is being counselled. The same course was not taken for the family who is mourning. No one has contacted us before today (Wednesday),” Thomas-Gayle’s daughter, Keiva Bailey, said.

“He (Donald) was wearing the proper protective gear. The later model that was well illuminated, so the driver had to be speeding to not see him. Even when we went to the morgue, he was still wearing his vest, which is his safety precaution gear. Eyewitnesses say the driver was speeding.”

Marvin Gayle added: “Visible sign of blood at the initial impact site of the crash. Marks on the light post where the bus hit and signs that he was dragged about 100 metres. His dentures were at the scene – broken glasses from the bus, his rake, his gloves and hat.”