3 Davis Women Perish in Triple Fatality on Philip Goldson Highway
We begin tonight’s newscast with a triple fatality that occurred on Friday night on the Philip Goldson Highway near Tubal Trade and Vocational Institute at mile ten. Kurtis Belisle was the driver of a pickup truck and traveling along with him were the Davis sisters Virginia and Dorothy and Virginia’s daughter, Torrie. Belisle was reportedly overtaking on the curve and lost control of the vehicle. It slammed into several trees off the road, killing the Davis women on the spot. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
The shards of glass and debris strewn across the shoulder of the highway near the Yam’s family home on the Philip Goldson Highway are remnants of the tragic accident that claimed the lives of three women: Virginia Davis, her seventeen-year-old daughter Torrie Gentle and her sister Dorothy Davis, also seventeen. Ruben Yam says he heard a loud bang and ran home, thinking that a vehicle had crashed into his house. But what he found was even worse.
Ruben Yam
Ruben Yam, Witness
“I come run. I think it come straight into my house. When I reach, see the vehicle right here. When I notice, it first knock the plum tree, then fly by the mangoes and then by the next tree. The three women dead pan the spot; the driver inside. The fire truck come and cut it and take the man out, right yah lay down. Then the ambulance come take the man and put him here and then take ahn to the hospital.”
Duane Moody
“So all three ladies died right out here?”
Ruben Yam
“Yes. Right here. If the trees neva deh deh, ketch on the house. But thank God, the trees save the life for she. She was inside by herself, nobody else.”
The group was heading to a basketball game that was taking place in Burrell Boom Village.
Levie Davis
Levie Davis, Brother of Deceased
“Before the game start and about half time want know how dehn noh come back and just hear the news – three people dead ina wah accident. When yo look, dah fu we same white vehicle.”
The extensively damaged pickup truck inside the compound at the Ladyville Police Substation is an indication of the brutal death of the trio. They were traveling inside the vehicle along with Kurtis Belisle, who was behind the steering wheel. Belisle is the only survivor.
Hilberto Romero
ACP Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division
“Police visited the area where they found the lifeless bodies of three females and a male person was taken to the K.H.M.H. for treatment. Information is that Kurtis Belisle was driving a pickup truck along with three passengers when he lost control of the vehicle at a curve. The vehicle slammed into a mango tree and thereafter overturned. Clearly from the scene, there is a curve in that area and information is that the driver was overtaking another vehicle on the curve and slipped off the pavement into the loose rock and that is where he lost control.”
Persons in the area say that the driver was speeding. News Five asked ACP Hilberto Romero if that was a factor and whether Belisle was under the influence.
ACP Hilberto Romero
“That is under investigation, but information we are getting is that they were consuming alcohol.”
Reporter
“Where were they coming from?”
ACP Hilberto Romero
“They were coming from Lord’s Bank and they were heading back to Burrell Boom area.”
What is most tragic is the fact that the Davis family will now bury three of their own. Levie Davis says that the family is still in shock.
Levie Davis
“My niece and my lee sister dehn close and my big sister, dehn just come round come hail my ma and watch my game, yo get the sense. That real rough. If everybody know dehn, yo get the sense, weh see this, dehn know how dehn go. They always make whosoever dehn deh round happy and thing. They always got wah nice vibe so that dah weh people wah miss. Especially my sister, for the whole Fresh Pond (Community), she cooperate with everybody and got wah close relationship with dehn. Same way my big sister too. Hype up and thing. She just come round and now dah the last time fi see she.”
Belisle is currently in a stable condition. Duane Moody for News Five.
