Youth Killed in RTA; Police Detain His Friend

Daniel Thompson

A young man was killed in a tragic road traffic accident around one this morning and police have detained his close friend pending investigations. The incident happened between miles twelve and thirteen on the Philip Goldson Highway and the victim is nineteen-year-old Daniel Thompson, a driver/deliveryman for Triple L Construction and Supplies in that community. Thompson’s close friend, William Faux, also nineteen, is the person who police believe was behind the wheel of the red Dodge sports car that struck Thompson’s motorcycle. News Five’s Marion Ali went to Ladyville and filed this report.

Marion Ali, Reporting

This wrecked Dodge Challenger sports car which landed off the road bear the telltale signs of how severe the impact was when it crashed into a motorcycle belonging to Daniel Thompson.  The nineteen-year-old was on this stretch of road near mile twelve on the Philip Goldson Highway when he was struck from behind. Thompson was Bayron Perez’s stepbrother who he worked with every day at the family business, Triple L Construction & Supplies. Perez told News Five that Thompson left a wake with his friend following behind in the car when the unthinkable happened.

Bayron Perez

Bayron Perez, Stepbrother of Deceased

“To my understanding, he was at a wake right in Ladyville. I understand that from there, he with his friend were heading up here to the north side. One was driving the red Dodge and he was on his bike. So somehow they lost control and we end up how we are now.”

Initial reports are that Thompson was heading towards the Burrell Boom junction with his friend traveling behind in the sports car. The area where they crashed is described as very dark at night and the tail lights on Thompson’s bike may not have been working. This is a report that Perez cannot corroborate. Perez said the two friends were very close and the one in police custody was also considered part of their family.

Bayron Perez

“Every evening or two times for the evening I would see them together so he would always come home – he basically was part of the family too, so I know it’s probably very devastating for him to know of what happened also because they were very, very close.”

But Perez was also close to Thompson. He said they had been stepbrothers for the past ten years and that he had seen him just before he left home on Thursday evening.

Bayron Perez

“The last time I saw him was at home, actually, cause we go home together after work, yeah like about five-thirty. You know I didn’t expect – no one would ever expect anything like this.”

Now as the family prepares to bury their loved one, the police is left to determine who, or what, was at fault in causing the accident. Marion Ali for News Five.