Family wants to know what caused truck to overturn

Family members and close friends of Racquel Williams are waiting for answers as to the exact cause of the vehicular failure which resulted in the death of the mother of eight and grandmother to 16.

The 48-year-old Diamond resident was reportedly riding in the pan of the flatbed truck, which was transporting aggregate on Revierre Road, when it rolled backwards down an incline and overturned.

The vehicle, TM-705, a 3-ton truck owned by Vibert Bailey of Sion Hill and driven by Hubert Bailey of Sion Hill, was going towards Harmony Hall and was midway up the hill when it encountered difficulties and began to roll back. Police say that the driver tried steering the truck on to a wall, and, while doing so the deceased jumped from the pan of the truck where she was a passenger. Williams tried to run downhill, away from the truck. However the truck overturned and fell on her.

The accident occurred before mid-day on Monday April, 1, 2024, and a crane had to be used to remove the truck. Williams’ body was retrieved around 3:00 p.m.

SEARCHLIGHT visited the bayside Diamond community where family members said they were preparing to hold a candlelight vigil to mark Williams’ passing.

Her partner of almost a decade, Dick Stevens, explained that they had set out earlier in the day to transport aggregate and it would be on the second trip that tragedy struck.

“She wasn’t with me, but me told her to come and ride with me…because we were going to do another work on the other side. I stopped by the gas station. I said baby ride with me and I stopped the truck twice…but she decided to ride with him because they were in a conversation.”

Stevens said the truck on which Williams was riding continued on its journey and shortly after he would receive the news that it had overturned.

“When they say a truck overturn up there, I start to run, fall down in the drain, all thing. When me reach, me start to scrape sand off of she.”

Stevens, on the brink of tears, lamented “Watch how my wife die. No one deserve this. But she was talking to the fella about her grandchild and all sorta things, so she decided to ride with the other truck. And watch how my wife dead.”

Her daughter, Shonique Williams, told SEARCHLIGHT that details as to what caused the truck to roll back down the incline have not been made clear.

“When I reach up there, me just meet she there and the truck on top of she. Me didn’t see the driver or anything. When I ask who was driving the truck, nobody ain’t showing me nothing.”

Shonique also said that the police have not communicated any information about the stage of the investigation.

She said the last instructions she received from Williams before she left home that morning was to supervise her youngest sister, Williams’ last child- an eight year old girl.

“Before she leave home, she come over by me and she tell me walk with [sister] to the beach and make sure you watch her because I don’t know if I might come back. She left, and when she came back, she stood in front of the gate and tell me again, make sure you watch [sister] because I don’t know if I going come back.”

On Wednesday evening, residents, as well as family and friends gathered on the spot where Williams died. They sang songs and shared memories of the community-spirited woman who was known affectionately as Sorani.