John Doe in Fatal RTA Near Biscayne is Identified as Sherwin Leslie
Sherwin Leslie
The body of a Belize City resident was positively identified by members of his family this morning when they visited the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. On Monday, Prime Minister John Briceño’s longtime driver made headlines when he knocked down and killed an individual riding a bicycle along the Philip Goldson Highway. The incident happened on Sunday evening in the vicinity of Biscayne Village and the victim was initially labeled as John Doe. That’s because residents in that community were unable to determine the identity of the man who perished in the accident. Sherwin Leslie resided on Flamboyant Street and made a living washing vehicles in the Fort George neighborhood. He was last seen by his nephew, Lloyd Leslie, on Friday evening. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
Sherwin Leslie was a long way from home on Sunday evening when he met his demise on the Philip Goldson Highway. The Flamboyant Street resident was riding a bicycle in the vicinity of Biscayne Village when he was fatally struck by a sports utility vehicle. At the wheel was fifty-eight-year-old motorist Edwin Hill, the prime minister’s chauffeur. The car washer remained nameless until this morning, when his nephew was informed that a body at the KHMH morgue be that of Sherwin Leslie.
Voice of: Lloyd Leslie, Nephew of Deceased
“Dis mawnin I gaan da work normal, bright and feeling good, you know and while I deh da work, I get wahn call from my son di ask me if I know that da my uncle get hit by di vehicle Sunday night. So I di explain to he [that] ih couldn’t be and that da when he tell me mek I look into it because da Uncle Sherwin get knocked down.”
That’s when Lloyd Leslie decided to follow up on the lead. He shared with us off-camera what he did next.
Lloyd Leslie
“So I decide fi call my bredda and that da when my bredda confirm to me that da Sherwin. So I decide fi gaan home da fu he house and that da when we confirm with mih bredda again because he mi di look fi ih certificate and wahn picture fi identify di body. Well I find wahn picture ah he dis mawnin and I tek it to the morgue and I meet di officer in charge and we gaan een and identified di body. So when we identified di body, ih mi confirmed then.”
The cyclist’s description matched the one given by police. The deceased Leslie wore his hair in dreadlocks and was wearing a white tee shirt and three-quarter pants. But what was he doing all the way in Biscayne and riding a bicycle at night?
Lloyd Leslie
“Weh ih di do pan di road, I noh have no idea as to weh ih mi di do out deh.”
Isani Cayetano
“When was he last seen?”
Lloyd Leslie
“Well, a friend ah mine confirmed that dehn sih ahn da Boom junction like shortly after midday or soh and later ahn di evening, my ex-[girlfriend] told me she saw him riding through Sand Hill. Soh that da di last time dehn sih ahn Sunday.”
Isani Cayetano
“From Flamboyant Street to Biscayne on bicycle is a hell of a long way from home.”
Lloyd Leslie
“Well I know that fi ahn fact. Soh that da weh paat ih come een puzzling now because we di try figure out weh he di do out deh. What was his thoughts or, you know, mental state at the time. But knowing my uncle, ih noh have no problem.”
Going back to what was shared with the media on Monday, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams told reporters that a preliminary inquiry indicated that Leslie may have veered suddenly into the vehicle‘s direction, causing the deadly accident.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“Based on what the investigation is showing so far is that the cyclist was the one who swerved in the path of Mr. Hill’s oncoming vehicle. But we’re not going to say at this time who is at fault, we’ll put the file together and then we’ll send it to the DPP and then she will make that determination.”
Notwithstanding the tragic mishap, Hill is a seasoned driver. According to the ComPol, it is the court that will ultimately decide whether Hill’s license is suspended.
Chester Williams
“The police have no authority to suspend a person’s license, that is only done by the court.”
As for Hill’s job as the prime minister’s driver and the perceived preferential treatment that may be afforded to him, we reached out to PM Briceño via text message earlier today, seeking a comment. Our message has gone unanswered.
Isani Cayetano For News Five
