Fatal RTA on John Smith Road; Motorcyclist Perishes
Randy Pollard
A Ladyville resident lost his life in a fatal road traffic accident on the John Smith Road overnight on Saturday. Nineteen-year-old Randy Pollard was riding his motorcycle and lost control less than a mile from the intersection with the George Price Highway. It is believed that he crashed into a concrete marker on the shoulder of the link road. The impact flung Pollard and the motorcycle off the pavement and to his death. The teenager was discovered around six o’clock on Sunday morning. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
On Sunday morning, police retrieved the body of Randy Pollard near the John Smith Road.
Fitzroy Yearwood
ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, Communications Director, Belize Police Department
“Next to him was a lifan motorcycle that we have received information he recently purchased about a month ago. We cannot say whether he was knocked down or maybe he may have lost control of his bike. But I know that his family identified him.”
It is believed that the nineteen-year-old was travelling from Ladyville to Western Paradise community via the John Smith Road to visit a female friend when he met his demise. Pollard’s grandmother, Odessa Gibson, says she last spoke with him on Saturday evening. She explained how she found out about what happened.
Odessa Gibson
Odessa Gibson, Grandmother of Deceased
“Ih say ih gwen dah wah party up yah and I tell ahn okay, I wah wait up fi ahn cause ih noh have no key. Ih mi di run lee joke with me and ih say, ma I di go dah party and I say okay papa. I hear ih come back with my son, but then I neva know ih couldn’t get pan ih cycle. I tell dehn why dehn neva bring the key to me cause I mi deh in dehn. So I say, ih mussi gwen and come back. Well I still wait up and ih noh come. One ah we friends, wah lee young bwai weh I raise, he wake we about after six and say Miss Odi, Randy ketch ina accident. So I say to myself maybe dah when ih di come from ih friend through the road come fi go dah work cause dehn say dah mawning, but dehn neva want tell me ih dead. I can’t take it cause dehn lee bwai; dehn dah my life. Dehn dah my prince and I dah di queen fi the house. And he gone outta one ah dehn. That dah outta di pack cause we dah wah pack.”
Randy Pollard
Pollard was the third youngest of seven siblings. Their mother passed away nine years ago, and they’ve been raised by their grandmother. Gibson says that Pollard always loved motorcycles and owned three.
Odessa Gibson
“Ih got three. Ih love them. Ih just sell one weh ih mi got deh fi parts and thing and then ih buy a bigger one. That one dah mi wah big one. Ih just love cycle. I tell ahn better yo mi buy wah car, papa. But ih say no ma. So I tell ahn okay then.”
It is believed that Pollard was under the influence and this may have led to him losing control of the motorbike. A post-mortem, however, will determine if that was the case.
ASP Fitzroy Yearwood
“Hopefully at the conclusion of a post-mortem examination we would be able to say whether or not we suspect foul play.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
