Two students struck by truck while crossing street

A Hino truck, TL258, owned by Edison James of Lowmans Windward and driven by Adolph Stephens of Prospect, was involved in an accident at the Richmond Hill public road on Wednesday afternoon.

Reports are that around 3:12, nine-year-old Israel Cumberbatch of Belair and 10-year-old Alpha James of Glen, both grade five pupils of the Kingstown Preparatory School, were attempting to use the pedestrian crossing in front of the popular Mahogany Square bus stop, when they were run over by TL258.

James sustained bruises to his left leg, a gash on his head and what appeared to be a broken leg, while Cumberbatch had injuries to his left leg and right hand.{{more}}

Young Cumberbatch spoke to SEARCHLIGHT shortly after the incident and explained that he was attempting to cross the road at the pedestrian crossing when he was struck.

“I was walking up when the police had stop the truck… when I was crossing I feel I just fell down and the truck just ran over me,” the boy recounted.

And, while he was visibly in pain, a brave Cumberbatch stated that he was feeling a bit better.

According to a student of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College who witnessed the incident, the boys attempted to go across the pedestrian crossing at the same time that the traffic warden signalled for the traffic to proceed.

“The officer had stopped the traffic for people to cross and when she began calling the traffic again, the same time the two boys ran across the road and both wheels of the truck ran over them,” said the student.

She said that the driver mentioned that his brakes failed.

Another student, a female from the Thomas Saunders Secondary School (TSSS), told SEARCHLIGHT that she was crossing the road and had almost almost reached the sidewalk when she heard a commotion and looked back.

She said that she saw the truck run over the boys and if the bigger child did not move his upper body, the wheels of the truck would have run over his head.

The students were rushed to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) by a passing motorist. Police are investigating the incident.(LC)