Man jailed in St Thomas after deadly hit-and-run in St James

A St Thomas man who is believed to have been the driver of the motor car that mowed down and killed two-year-old Sasha-Gaye ‘Munchie’ Dennis, along the Howard Cooke Boulevard in Montego Bay on Tuesday, is in police custody.

The man, who is said to be a student, fled the scene of the accident but turned himself in at the Morant Bay Police Station on Wednesday night.

“I can confirm that a man turned himself over to the Morant Bay police at about 10:40 p.m. on Wednesday night,” Superintendent Vernon Ellis, the commanding officer for St James, said.

According to police reports, about 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Diana Whitely and her four children, including Sasha-Gaye, were heading towards the KFC outlet on Howard Cooke Boulevard after spending the day at the beach. A motorist reportedly stopped to allow them to cross, but another speeding car came around that car and struck Sasha-Gay and her 10-year-old sister, who was carrying her.

After discovering that he had knocked down the two juveniles, the driver reportedly came to a halt, and a male passenger who was travelling in the front of the vehicle, jumped out. A frightened Whitley and dozens of commuters started to scream at the driver, indicating that the baby was still underneath the car.

The driver reportedly ordered the passenger back into the vehicle and sped away, dragging the child for several metres.

Following the incident, the police said they received valuable information from witnesses and launched a manhunt for the driver and the white 2009 Nissan Note motor car.