Two bike men die after head-on crash

Two residents of Somerton in St James died after the motorcycles they were driving were involved in a head-on collision in the community on Sunday.

The dead men have been identified as 54-year-old Phillip White, mason, and 21-year-old Aldrae O'Connor, an auto mechanic of King Street, both in Somerton.

The incident left a pall of gloom over the quiet farming community. Ameisha Pearce told THE STAR that the death of both men has taken a toll on her, as she was related to both.

"They are both my cousins - one by my mother side and the other by my father side, and they are both kind and loving persons," Pearce said.

THE STAR understands that White, who is also a farmer, had just left his farm and was on his way to do mason work in a neighbouring community when the accident occurred. His bike collided with another being driven by O'Connor as both attempted to negotiate a corner along a section of Easy Street, in the vicinity of Bullock Housing Scheme entrance. Both motorcyclists sustained head and body injuries after being thrown from their motorcycles, and died on the spot.

Data from the Road Safety Unit said that 17 persons have been killed in road crashes since the start of the year. All of the dead are males. Motorcyclists account for 53 per cent of the road users killed since the start of the year. Some 432 persons were killed on the roads last year.