Mid morning collision injures Shawn Tewes

Two vehicles collided shortly after ten this morning in the vicinity of two primary schools in the King’s Park Area.  In the impact, one of the vehicles, an SUV, flipped before coming to a complete stop ending with its four wheels up in the air. Its driver, Channel Five employee, was injured and the SUV was extensively damaged. The other vehicle, a small car, was damaged on the driver’s side. News Five’s Duane Moody was on scene and found out that numerous accidents have occurred at the same area.

Duane Moody, Reporting

This 2000 Mitsubishi Pajero, driven by twenty-nine year old Shawn Tewes, was traveling on First Street in the direction of Saint Thomas. As he reached the junction with Hopkins Street, a green Honda Accord coming from the right collided into Tewes’ Mitsubishi. The impact sent the SUV up in the air and before landing to the ground, it hit a parked car. Tewes was rushed to the K.H.M.H. for medical attention. The driver of the Honda Accord, was forty-three year old Elsworth Jones.  Pearl Gongora, who witnessed the accident, gave a detailed report.

Pearl Gongora, Witnessed Accident

“I parked here and I was about to come out but then I heard something coming with speed. So I wait ‘til the car pass and when I see the car pass it was coming with a full speed. At the same time, I was looking on that straight when I see the vehicle that was coming from the other lane was trying to cross on the other street and this car was coming with so much speed that the vehicle turned over. The vehicle turned over in the air and land right on top of the neighbor’s car. I was the first one, I came out of my car and I ran saying oh my god because I thought this person was dying in there. The guy crawling out from the broken window and blood was coming out from his mouth.”

Shawn Tewes

Nuri Zetina, Resident

“I saw the young man coming out of the car and he was holding his head, holding his chest and spitting out blood you know. We called the ambulance and they were on the scene very quick.”

Tewes suffered bruises and abrasions. And while he says he did not see Jones coming until he was almost across the street, residents in the area say that several accidents have happened at the precise junction—the latest; as recent as two weeks ago.

Nuri Zetina

“It’s been less than a month for a second accident happening and we need to get something done about it. On this main of Hopkins Street, they are taking it like a highway. Drivers are speeding, not respecting any of the signs or anything at all.”

Duane Moody

“This is not the first time that something like this has happened. That people have always been speeding on these roads like they’re highways. Tell us about that.”

Pearl Gongora

“This always has been happening, vehicles crashing there but never something like that—either knock and it just goes one side and the other side, but this had to be with full speed to make this vehicle turn over with that full force and that’s what happened. That’s what happened the guy said that he was coming down slow. That isn’t true.”

Residents say authorities need to take action to reduce speeding.

Nuri Zetina

“We have All Saints and Saint Joseph—two mains schools that children come. And the shop in front of us always have little kids that come and buy. It could have been one of them they hit or something like that. And we ask everybody please do something about it because this is worse than the other one that had happened earlier on in the month. I don’t know if it has to take the life of a child or something for somebody to get something done.”

Duane Moody, reporting for News Five.

Tewes has been released from the K.H.M.H.