Motorist in fatal crash is a trusted driver, neighbours say

Neighbours of the motorist whose vehicle caused the crash on Highway 2000 yesterday that claimed fives lives and injured 10 persons say they know him as a safe driver.

Residents of Inverness, Sandy Bay, Clarendon, described Dwayne Fowler, who up to press time last night was still in hospital, as a humble man.

A neighbour, who only gave her name as Ms Thomas, in responding to criticism of Fowler being a careless driver, said before the onset of COVID-19, he used to transport members from the church in the community to wherever they wanted to go.

"They wouldn't drive with anyone else. If I am going on trip, he was the one they used," she shared. Michael Fenton, who has known Fowler for some time, said they nicknamed him 'Hustler' as he was always doing something to make money.

"He used to sell scrap iron, then loaded buses in the May Pen bus park before he finally got a bus of his own to drive. He is humble and a trying person," he said.

Head of the Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch, Senior Superintendent Gary McKenzie, said that about 11 a.m., a Toyota minibus was travelling along the PJ Patterson Highway towards Spanish Town when, on reaching about 200 metres east of the Spanish Town exit, the driver appeared to encounter some difficulties with the vehicle, that was travelling at high speed. McKenzie said that the vehicle, which appeared to be swerving along the roadway, collided into the rear of a truck and overturned before the front ended up resting on the median.

Fowler's relatives are also taking the crash badly. "I can't manage," wailed Phyllis Simpson, Fowler's grandmother as she was led away by friends who offered her water and ensured she took her blood pressure tablet.

Thomas said that Fowler's mother, affectionately called Ms Fowler by residents, could not talk about the accident as she would break down. She said that she was in May Pen when she heard people talking about the deadly crash.

"People were going around and showing the videos and she heard persons calling the name and so forth," Thomas said. She added that Ms Fowler recently buried her husband last month.

"Mi just sorry fi all a dis whe di family a go through right now. Mi just pray that God will give them the strength to go on. I pray that He keep him, he is not dead, I pray that he will get a quick recovery," Thomas said, adding that she was also praying for the other injured to pull through.