Mennonite Businessman and Minor Die in Traffic Accident on Boom/Hattieville Road

Just after eight o’clock on Saturday night, there was a fatal traffic accident on the Burrell Boom/Hattieville Road near the Gentleville community. A Ford Ranger pickup driven at the time by Daniel Barkman collided with a crane sending the pickup truck off the pavement and into a ditch. Barkman and thirteen-year-old Luke Thiessen died on the spot. Fortunately, Ronald Thiessen and Nathan Miller survived the impact and are hospitalized in a stable condition. News Five’s Duane Moody reports on this double fatality.

Duane Moody, Reporting

Two persons, including an adult and a minor, lost their lives in a traffic accident on the Boom Hattieville Road. Daniel Barkman was behind the steering wheel of a Ford Ranger pickup; accompanying him at the time were Ronald Thiessen and two minors Nathan Miller and Luke Thiessen. As the pickup truck hit the curve near the Gentleville community, it crashed into a crane that was travelling in the opposite direction. Barkman and thirteen-year-old Luke, who sat behind him, died on the spot.

Hilberto Romero

Sr. Supt. Hilberto Romero, Deputy Head, National Crimes Investigation Branch

“Upon arrival, they saw a Ford pickup extensively damaged on the right side of the road and a yellow crane was parked on the road. Inside the ford vehicle, police saw the lifeless body of Daniel Barkman, forty-nine years and Luke Thiessen, thirteen years. Two other persons, Ronald Thiessen and Nathan Miller were taken to the K.H.M.H. where they are in stable condition at this time. The bodies of Daniel Barkman and Luke Thiessen were pronounced dead on arrival at the K.H.M.H.”

The impact from the collision sent the pickup truck off the road and into a ditch. First responder, Aaron “Bunny T” Wilson was also on the Boom/Hattieville Road heading to Ladyville and came up on the scene minutes after it happened. He helped to extricate Ronald and Nathan who survived the crash and are now in a stable condition at the K.H.M.H.  Wilson speaks on what he saw when he went down into the ditch to help.

Aaron Wilson, Assisted Accident Victims

“Parts mi deh all over the streets and vehicles already mi di try pull on different corner to try to avoid piece of bumper, piece of fenders.  And so I pull over to the side and I observed that a vehicle mi ina wah ditch. So I tell my family, I have to see if anybody need help. I come out of the vehicle; I put on my phone because it was very dark. So I put on my phone light and flash in the vehicle and I realise that from the way it look that ih mi done dead. So I just check ahn fi make sure, touch ahn and then I look ina di back seat behind the driver and there was a little boy.”

Realising that the minor was also dead, Wilson then decided to go and help the two others who were badly injured but alive.

Aaron Wilson

Aaron Wilson

“I gone pan the other side where I see wah man di sit down and like ih lost up; I couldn’t even see ih face good cause ih mi full up with blood, and swell up. I couldn’t tell you how the injury mi bad cause I dah noh wah doctor or anything, but I know he needed help and ih neva mi deh ina ih right mind. Cause I ask him if ih know ih name, but he was confused and lost. And then I see a lee bwai ina di backseat, appear to be in pain and flipping in and out of consciousness. So I decided to take them out of the vehicle because at the moment I saw like smoke coming out from under the hood and I was afraid that it would explode.”

We have been able to confirm that Barkman and his passengers were travelling from Orange Walk where they went to distribute some much needed supplies to persons who have been affected by the pandemic. They were on their way back to Spanish Lookout when tragedy struck. Police say that they believe that speeding was a factor.

Sr. Supt. Hilberto Romero

“Sketch was drawn from the area and an investigation is being conducted. The driver of the crane has been served with a notice of intended prosecution and blood sample taken. An investigation will be conducted and the file forwarded to the D.P.P. to determine charges.”

Reporter

“Sir is it believed that speeding was a factor in this accident?”

Sr. Supt. Hilberto Romero

“The ford truck was extensively damaged so information we received is that yes the vehicle was travelling fast.”

Duane Moody for News Five.